When Lightening Strikes
by centuryofdean
Summary: When Laurel dreams, she finds either peace or devastation. The man who plays the leading role in these dreams has her utmost devotion. Sometimes she wonders if his rugged smirk is real. One of these dreams hits close to home and leaves her afraid to sleep in fear of what she will find when she dreams. Insomnia leads to the most unexpected adventure.
1. Falling into a Dream

Another grunt escaped me. The hundred pound deer that I just shot and dragged three miles back to my truck was enough to have me sweating profusely in the chilly November air. By how long the sun had gone down, I was guessing it was just after eight. As soon as I got this buy guy home and hung him in the garage I would go to bed and dress him in the morning.

My little home in the woods was far enough from town that I didn't leave it very often if I wasn't working. Which was fine by me, it left me more time to sleep. The ache that tore through me from all the hard work had me almost unable to make it to the shower. As the hot water cascaded down my back, all I could think about was dreams I might have.

Ever since I turned nineteen, sleeping was my favorite part about life. When I fell asleep I almost always had dreams. Not all of them were pleasant, and I would refuse to sleep for days; but most of the time I dreamed of a handsome man with longer black hair, dressed somewhat oddly, but strong and mysterious all the same.

A little more than half of my pleasant dreams were of him. He had been popping in and out of my nightly adventures since I was old enough to understand was a dream was. It was as if I were watching a movie. I never got to speak to him, and any time I tried to yell at him he would acts as if he never heard me at all. Sometimes it was awkward, because I could see him bathe. Other times it was saddening, to see him throw things to the ground and scream at the top of his lungs.

It wasn't until I was nineteen that he actually paid me any attention. It is the only one I can always remember vividly—at least what we spoke of. Sometimes if I try hard, I can remember his face, every feature. Usually I always ended up with a headache when I tried to remember what he looked like. His face is always like a distant memory. Something that if you think real long and hard on it will appear at the tip of your tongue, but is always just out of reach.

The first time we properly met, he was stomping through the forest, and I was in a tree with my bow in hand about to let the string fly and hit a giant buck in the heart. My fingers just released, the arrow about to hit true to the aim taken. Someone stepped on a branch and the beast jumped and trotted away, the arrow sticking to the tree behind it.

 _I screamed in anger, jumping from branch to branch down the tree. Feet storming through the forest, I ripped the arrow from the bark and turned to become face to face with him. I was taken back, amazed that he was standing right before me. A similar expression was captured on his face._

 _We both shouted 'You!' at the same time. After the shock I started in._

" _Why on Earth were you stomping through the woods like an everyday barbarian?! I almost had that buck," I poked him in the chest._

 _The man starred at me in shock, "Barbarian? How was I to know you were… hunting? You were hunting?"_

" _Of course I was hunting," I muttered, pointing to my bow and clothes. I was mildly surprised that my camouflaged jeans were replaced with a tuff brown pant of sorts, and I was wearing a long sleeved green… tunic? When my hand touched my face, it came away with dirt instead of the makeup I normally wore. Even my bow was different. Instead of the small compound I usually used, I was using an elegant black stained wooden long bow. It was a dream though—anything can happen in dreams._

 _He started to walk around me, hands behind his back while he looked me up and down. "Why would a… female," he paused, "whatever, be hunting? I do not know of any race of females that hunt for game."_

 _A scoff left my lips, "I will have you know, many women of all races hunt! It isn't just for men you sexist pig!"_

 _An equally offended scoff left him standing in front of me again, "Why do you dare to compare me to a filthy animal? And impose that I would be fornicating with it?"_

 _With the way he was speaking and the clothes he was wearing—along with my own—I came to the realization that I was not in a familiar area. Was it even the same time period?_

"… _Where are we," I asked hesitantly._

" _You are hunting in lands that you do not know of? That is very… unusual," he muttered. "We are in Mirkwood of all places it seems."_

" _Mirkwood? What state?"_

" _State? What is a state?"_

" _Alright what country are we in?"_

" _Country? We are just outside Rhovanion I suppose, I don't know if that is a country or not."_

 _We both starred at one another, walking in circles and assessing. After a while I stopped and sat on the ground against one of the trees. With the sleeves of my new shirt I wiped the dirt and mud as much as I could from my face. "So why are you finally paying attention to me," I asked, looking over the bow I had acquired when I finished._

" _I could ask the same of you," he replied just as quickly._

" _What do you mean?"_

 _He sat across from me fiddling with a dagger. "When I sleep, I dream of you a lot of the time. Though oddly, you did not see me. I always saw you since you were small."_

 _The same thing was happening to him? It was obviously a dream. Something I am making up as I go so that I could have something interesting going on in my life. How come he has never aged, but I have? Probably yet another oddity of my dreams._

" _The same happens to me," I whispered, "I would yell and scream for you to talk to me, but you always kept on going about your business like I wasn't even there."_

That dream seemed to go on for days. The sun never set but I sat in the forest with him and told him of some of the dreams I have had of him. He told me most of the ones he had of me. We came to the conclusion that the dreams were not really dreams, we were seeing the others' _lives_. Even thinking about it had me giggling. Of course they were all _dreams_. No matter how much he told me that he was seeing my life, or I was seeing his; it was all simply unreal.

After that first dream, I had more of not being able to have him see me again. It was as if I were 'seeing his life'. From then on it was like a weird switch. Once in a blue moon we were able to actually sit and talk to one another. I enjoyed those times. Sometimes we were in his 'world' and others we were in the real world, almost. We would always end up outdoors, at the park or meadow, or in the woods that I first met him in.

All in all it sounded like a great story.

There was one night, where I dreamt of a cliff. He was on it, fighting with a sword against a _monster_. It was not human—gray in color all over, eyes red as blood, deformed in all sorts of ways. Though it had two legs, two arms, a torso, and a head. Spikes poked out of it in different areas; truly demonic.

I feared for my friend's life, gasping as he was speared in the chest with the sword.

With a start I woke, gasping for breath and sobbing with terror. My heart ached with dread at the thought of someone I was attached to—through a _dream_ —someone that wasn't even real, was dead.

I called off work for the rest of the week, drinking endless amounts of coffee and not sleeping for days. When it finally won out and took me over, I didn't dream of him again. Over time I was able to come to terms and accept that maybe it was my own way of severing myself from the unhealthy attachment to a figment of my own imagination.

A month later we met again. I didn't ask him about the monster or being stabbed. I just was grateful to have him be alive. We just laid in the grass, watching the stars and listening to his tales of them. The constellations were different than my own, but the stories were fascinating.

I don't get to speak to him often but when I do I am always at ease.

Sometimes I'm afraid I fell in love with my imagined friend.

Why can't Kili be real?


	2. Waking Up

When all the dirt, sweat, and blood was scrubbed from my body, I fell asleep just as I was in my towel into the bed. The work from hunting for the day wore me to the bone. Just thinking of Kili had me eager to find him in my dreams.

 _In the meadow near my house, I was lying next to Kili. We both were laying down starring off into the night sky._

 _He turned to me, not so surprised to see me, "I figured when I dream of me by myself, is when I know I will be able to actually talk to you."_

 _We finally stopped sharing our dreams of each other to one another. It was a boring habit unless something exciting happened. I rolled over onto my stomach so that I could give him my full attention. The cold grass wiggled in and out of my toes, causing me to giggle at the tickling sensation and kick them up above._

" _I think you're a Hobbit," he sighed, almost dejectedly._

 _A horse laugh escaped me, "What in the world is a_ Hobbit? _"_

 _Kili crawled in front of me so that we were face to face, also on his stomach. The worn long sleeved blue tunic he wore radiated warmth. A small shiver escaped me, it was pleasantly cold on this midsummer's night._

" _In_ my _world, there are different races of beings. There are men, dwarves, elves, wizards, and hobbits. Hobbits are the smallest of the lot," he offered, plucking at the grass._

 _I was in the midst of a clover patch, threading my fingers around looking for the four-leaf I knew was hiding somewhere. "I am the shortest person I know, but I there is only at the most a two foot difference between me and the tallest person alive," I snorted, "besides, we have people who are three foot tall. Shorter than me. We call_ them _dwarves."_

" _You misunderstand," he laughed, looking with me now for the clover, "your dwarves and mine are different. I am a dwarf. It is true we have men of that height in our world, but they are not dwarves, they are simply mortal men that are smaller."_

" _You're a dwarf? You are like five and a half feet tall!"_

" _The only people smaller than myself—aside from the smaller mortal men—are Hobbits."_

" _Then tell me oh great and intelligent Kili, what is a dwarf!"_

 _The laugh that left him made me feel weightless. I could smile on the saddest of days if I could listen to his laugh. Almost as if he triggered it, the four-leaf clover appeared. Neither of us plucked in, but looked at each other in amusement._

" _In my world, dwarves prefer mountains and caves for living. We are not suited for houses of brick or wood. We do not gain the illnesses of men. Compared to men, we live twice as long, sometimes three times. Dwarves are made for hard work, and are very talented at finding precious stones or metal in the mountains. Mining is a very common practice for dwarves, making weapons is another._

" _There are very few dwarfish women unfortunately, they are a true rarity. Though they are rare, most of the time they appear as dwarfish men. It is difficult for mortals or others to tell the difference sometimes."_

" _Tell the difference? Dwarfish women have_ facial hair _," I asked clearly taken aback. Kili chuckled, his fingers brushing over mine. Sometimes I couldn't tell if he touched me on accident, or on purpose. The past few meetings he did it so often it had to be on purpose. It wasn't ever anything serious, just touching my hands, sometimes my hair. He always seemed amazed with me._

 _Just as I was thinking about it, his hands retreated back into the grass. "Yes most of them do. I have come across some that do not. Our women are built just like the men, strong and determined. Some women shave it after they are wed, and tie their hair into the braids of their husbands. They continue that for the rest of their lives."_

 _That was a beautiful thought. Somewhat odd, but if it was something they did traditionally it wasn't all that really odd. Kili's beard wasn't really a beard as of yet, it was mostly scruff. It must be that he's still so young that he doesn't grow it out as often._

" _Tell me about Hobbits then," I whispered, placing my face in the crook of my arms, as if I were waiting for a story._

 _Kili scooted closer and to the left, so that he could lay on his side to face me, but play with my hair. My fingers raked the grass while his voice spoke softly and amused all the more._

" _They are about your height. Small and clever, can go anywhere without being seen if they wanted. They live in holes in the ground. Not like snakes, but they make nice furnished homes in the ground of a mound or small hill. They don't wear boots or anything of the sort. Hobbits' have large feet that have very hard soles, and tuff warm hair atop. They eat all the time, enjoying a good meal and quiet peace."_

" _That sounds nothing like me," I muttered, slightly offended._

 _I watched as he pulled a piece of thread and tied off the braid he plaited into my hair. "Your feet are almost as large as mine, and I am half a foot taller than you. They are not hairy, but you do eat quite a bit. I've seen it."_

 _With a roar I jumped up on top of him and started to playfully smack him. We rolled around amongst the tall grass and flowers, down the meadow hill near the pond. I collapsed next to him trying to regain my breath. My hair tugged, his fingers playing with the braid he had just put in my hair, it was a simple petite Dutch braid._

 _I watched him sigh, dropping it and rolling onto his back to stare at the night sky._

" _What's wrong," I asked._

 _One hand descended reaching for my own at my side to grasp it and intertwine our fingers together. "When I wake, it is hard for me to remember your face," he murmurs, "it is as if I can only view you in my dreams. I forget somewhat. Though the stirring in my chest, it does not change at all. It is there when I wake, follows me through the day, and then at night into whatever dream I have._

" _Though I do not wish that you would follow me into my world. I would rather follow you into yours."_

 _The admission did not take me by surprise, because in my dream, of course the tall, dark, and handsome dwarf would have 'a stirring in his chest' when he thinks of me._

" _Honestly from what you tell me, your world sounds better than mine. You have more freedom, magic, adventures, and you have_ dragons _," I murmured._

 _Suddenly he was sitting up and dragging me with him. The dream was all the more lucid as he pulled me into his lap. The butterflies in my stomach awoke, dancing and fluttering about causing goosebumps to erupt across my flesh. "Here I do not get to decide my own fate," he whispered earnestly, holding both my hands in one of his own. The other was wrapped around me holding me astride his legs._

" _My uncle is a king of Durin. He will be the rightful king of the Lonely Mountain. He did not have any sons of his own, so my brother and I are his only heirs. Dwarves do not believe in giving someone of a different race their babes, especially royalty. Since there are few dwarfish women, one will be chosen for my brother and I to_ share _. This life that is chosen for me is not one of freedom, nor is it one that I agree with," he answered, never breaking eye contact._

" _In your world," he murmured, "there is little that anyone can do about my choices, except you."_

 _It was all too much. Even if it wasn't real, the dream was too much for me to handle. I always promised myself that I would not succumb to the silly ideal of love. All I needed in my life was to keep myself breathing and move along minding my own business. Stupidly I granted myself dreams, just because they weren't real. From what I was starting to see is that my feelings were._

 _I saw how it tortured my mom since I was little. My father died trying to rescue someone from a burning building, and my mother has been a shell ever since. To love so deeply and lose yourself, I did not want that to be me._

 _Here I am, doing it in my dreams of all places._

 _As quick as I could I jumped from his grip and stumbled up the hill as fast as I could. The cold grass seemed like razorblades against my feet._

" _Laurel! Please! This may be the last time I will see you," he called after me._

 _The last time I will see him? So much for having perfect dreams. My body turned, finding that he came right up behind me, hands outstretched to hold my own. "Please," he whispered, grasping them and pulling me closer, "I am afraid this will be the last time I can look upon your face."_

" _Why?"_

" _When I wake," he pulled me closer so that we were almost chest to chest, "I will be following my uncle and kin to the Lonely Mountain, to face Smaug and take back our home. This dragon is not one that you would like, I promise. He would burn anyone alive if they dared disturb his rest or steal his treasure. It has been so long since I last saw you I am afraid something will happen and I will not be alive to dream of you again."_

 _My heart clenched, I tried not to meet his eyes._

" _This is my dream," I muttered, "it's just my imagination. You are going on a quest never to return so that I can move on with my life."_

 _Large warm hands left my own, gripping at my waist instead, rubbing up and down._

" _If that is true," he murmured into my ear, "then why do you run? If it is all just_ your _dream, and this is the last you will see of me, why will you not let me hold you? Tell you how much I will miss you when I wake? How I always miss you when I wake?"_

 _I finally looked into his eyes, defying my own rules. They were brown, deep with emotion and bright with hope. Our talks never strayed from anything other than the differences in our worlds, or when something interesting happened. He would dream about my life and then ask questions about what he saw, and even then I would return the favor when I saw something I didn't understand. Of course I knew that the feelings I harbored for this man were strong, so strong that I thought about them all the time. I would day dream that he were real, though we would share his world and live peacefully together._

 _Here now in this dream, I_ felt _the need in his eyes, the pain and the fear all the same._

 _Fuck it._

 _Without thinking anymore on it, I threw myself into him, pressing my lips to his in earnest. The only kiss I ever had was when I was seventeen, and someone took me to prom. He kissed me chastely at the door afterwards._

 _This was something else altogether. The ache in my chest exploded, threatening to seep out of every pour in my body. All tenseness left, only able to be up straight without falling because Kili was holding me so tightly. His lips slanted over mine just as eagerly, hot and velvety against my own. The heat of his breath sent shivers down my spine. My hands found his hair, weaving into the locks and grasping to pull himself closer to me. A moan escaped my lips._

 _Just as I was about to knock him down and throw caution to the wind, the world shook._

" _No," I moaned out hoarsely in disappointment rather than pleasure, "not yet!"_

 _Kili gasped, holding onto me closely as it shook again. "It's time to wake."_

" _I won't ever see you again," I started to tear, "this is it."_

 _Our lips met again softly, as a final goodbye, "Fear not Laurel, and remember me fondly, as I will remember you."_

 _Before my eyes he started to fade into nothing._

A gasp tore through me as I shot up from my bedding. A quick sweep around my room told me it was still only a dream, like it always was. Before a breath came to me, a heart wrenching sob did.

As every time I dreamed of my dwarf I woke broken hearted. Why did I keep doing this to myself? It was nonsense. Falling in love with a figment of my imagination, crying over it every other day. Get a grip Laurel! You simply cannot fall in love with someone who does not exist!

The rest of my week was spent trying to remain awake, forbidding myself from sleeping. Everything I could do to not sleep, I even researched ways to _not_ dream. I grew accustom to staying awake over the years. The most I had gone without an ounce of sleep was four days. This time I dozed in and out, limiting myself only a half hour of napping twice a day. It was harder to dream when you were not asleep long enough.

On the fourth day without actual sleep I crawled out of bed, determined to go for a walk along the beach to try and clear my head. The cold would wake me better. Even for November, I would not be eager to walk around outside in just a mere sweater. Though that was what I was going to do. The closest beach was thirty minutes away by driving.

It was only six in the afternoon and gray skies told a tale of sadness. As if they knew the ache that settled deep in my heart and soul. When I arrived and got out of my truck, the wind blew my mahogany hair about, making me draw the hood up and string it partially closed.

As I walked I thought of my mother. She found my father at a state park, where he worked as a ranger. Mom was visiting there for a school project, looking at all the different trees and sampling leaves. They each shared a love of nature, and over time they shared a love for each other. Father was a righteous man from what I remember, which isn't much. Mom tells me all the time about how he was loyal and wouldn't lie to anyone about anything. He helped out whoever whenever he could, always a hard worker and a fierce leader.

She spoke of the passion and the intimacy of their lives, how she could completely just live and breathe as herself and he loved every part of her. The way she talked, made me want to fall in love like that. Unconditional love. Sadly she loved him more than life itself it seems. After his passing when I was five, my mother rarely left her room, leaving me in the hands of her mother until I was thirteen.

Grandmother taught me much about gardening and plants. I've learned what berries I could eat and what plants were poisonous by looking at them or smelling them. Some plants could mask my scent, which turned out great for hunting, and other plants would aid someone to sleep almost instantly when digested. All of the knowledge she gave me helped me live and keep my mom in a decent state of mind.

Finally when I was eighteen mom went to stay with Grandmother so that I could live my life without taking care of her. Mom almost turned into a child as it were.

For all this, I did not want to fall in love; just because there was a chance that would happen to me.

Rain started to fall, ice cold against my jeans and soaking into my skin. The light drizzle turned into a heavy pleating. Thunder clapped harshly next, lightning brightening the sky over the lake.

Not wanting to get struck by lightning on the beach, I turned and started to run back to my truck.

The wind picked up to a high speed, almost knocking me backwards. With the rain falling so heavily and the air pushing it which way and that, I was could barely see. A crack of thunder collapsed the sky around me, feeling the wave of it right to my heart. Lightning struck just mere feet ahead of me, and in effort to fall backwards to not be electrified, the turbulent wind pushed me forward and into the blinding white light.


	3. Falling into a New Reality

"Wake up Kili, it is time to leave The Shire."

No matter how hard I tried to hold onto the dream, sleep would not find me and bless my wish. Fili sat at the edge of the couch we were sharing for the night, pressing into my legs to wake me.

Laurel.

As always her face was a blur but the ache in my chest that went to sleep with me awoke with me; this time with vigor. It was surprising I woke this time with a smirk.

She actually kissed me.

The memory was still fresh in my mind, almost as if I could still feel her soft sweet lips upon mine. Sometimes I wondered if it were only just dreams. She speaks of how I am merely just an imagination, and everything I do and say is her wishes. If it were truly that way, which we are creating an image of each other, who is to say that she is not just an imagination of my mind? That would simply be unfair. If it were my choice, I would have not had her run from me. We would have been embracing and sharing kisses much sooner.

Not on the last dream I would ever share with her.

"What of Bilbo," Fili asked, grabbing his weapons and rising to leave. I followed his lead, placing two daggers in my belt and boot and grabbing my arrows and bow.

"All we can do is leave the contract. If he wishes to accompany us, he will find us," Thorin replied.

Together the lot of us rose and left the hobbit's home and quietly as we could. It was not my first time meeting a hobbit, though after I met Bilbo, the similarities between him and Laurel were strong. The greed I felt to see her again was almost stronger of that of the need of this quest.

Just outside The Shire we met a farmer with ponies for hire. Gandalf took lead on his stead and we were off on our quest.

Fili rode in the last of the line of ponies with me. Out of the thirteen dwarves, Fili and I were the youngest. For most of our lives we were raised by Mother, father had passed in battle with Orcs. Uncle Thorin was around for much of our childhood. We were told of the tales of our people and how our home was stolen from us by the fire drake Smaug.

It was only a few months ago that he approached my brother and myself, declaring that he, Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, was going to take back the Lonely Mountain. We promised Mother we would return as princes of Erebor and bring her _home_.

"Did you see her in your sleep again Brother," Fili asked softly.

For twenty years, I dreamed of Laurel. I do not know how old she was when I started dreaming of her, but she was very small. Most the dreams I had were of her, doing something ordinary such as chasing butterflies and sliding down snow covered hills on a piece of colored wood of sorts. I watched as she attended a ceremony were all the humans cried and spoke of a man.

Each of these dreams she was unable to see or hear me. It was as if I were invisible.

There were dreams where Laurel was barely clothed, only small pieces covering her. These dreams I had to focus my attention on other things. It was not until she was matured into a woman that I encountered her in a dream, where she could see me and speak to me.

I was amused that she was _hunting_ a deer to feast upon.

From that one encounter, we discovered that each of us dreamed of the other. This encounter led to similar dreams of no talking, but after a while we were able to speak again.

These times in dreams where I could talk to her, understand her and where she comes from, were some of my favorite times. The world that she lived in was one very different than Middle Earth. Each of us had our own questions, very confused of one another.

Over time I came to care for the russet haired maiden. Often times in my dreams I allowed myself the pleasure of braiding her locks and caressing her skin. When I looked into her pine colored eyes, it was if I were already home.

"Yes, I dreamed very fondly of her," I murmured, "though I am afraid it may be the last."

A chuckle came from my brother, "It may not. This journey will be long and eventually you will see her again. I am afraid that I am jealous of your maiden that does not exist."

"Laurel is a true beauty indeed," I murmured dejectedly, trying to hold onto the last traces of her face that floated in my mind.

"Why do you sound upset," Fili asked earnestly.

"I think she is a Hobbit," I muttered.

This brought a hearty chuckle from the blonde warrior.

Bilbo found his way to us, joining the company and continuing on our journey. Once given a pony, the poor fellow already tried to turn back around for a _hanky_. To say in the least this _burglar_ was not much of an assistance to the quest. He spoke often about how he missed his Hobbit hole and the warm food he often ate on a regular basis. If anything he was more of a bother with his consistent complaining.

All of it made me more irritable due to the lack of sleep that uncle kept us on. Most of the time we were lucky to sleep for a few hours, he wanted to get to the mountain as soon as possible. Though I fully agreed, I wanted to sleep and try to see Laurel once more.

After seven days of travel with no real rest, the company set Thorin straight. Came nightfall the lot of us were camped out with a fire, a nice warm meal, and promised a full nights worth of sleep.

"Kili," uncle approached me, "take first watch. In a few hours we will have Fili switch with you so that you can rest as well."

"Yes uncle. I will wake the company if I hear or see of anything suspicious."

The hill that we found had a pleasant flat bottom to the south that we placed camp in. It also provided for a great vantage point to see from all angles anything that would try to sneak up on us.

I used the time of peace to reflect on the last time I slept and saw her. The ache in my chest returned at the thought, the last I can remember of her face is her pine eyes, everything else blurred into her silhouette. She was so scared of… me. If it were really only just a dream, she was not real, then why would I dream of her fear? I would dream of her desire for me! The fact itself was even more frustrating than Bilbo's complaining. There has to be more than just a coincidence that I dream of the same woman all these years.

The more I concentrated on trying to envision her face, the sleepier I became. Shortly I felt the drags of tiredness pull me into a soft sleep.

 _Covered in odd greens and blues, she was walking across sand. The green clothing she wore covered her head and hair. Blue waves crashed against the shore, water tickling her boot covered feet. This was one of the few times she was actually wearing boots._

 _I even felt the cold of winter's chill._

 _Happiness filled me, I had gotten my wish to see her again. It was not as exciting to know that this was not a time of meeting, but I could gaze upon her once more._

 _When she strode forward, I followed. Not much of anything was happening, it seemed that the walking continued on forever. Suddenly it started to rain. As if I were there, I could feel the cold pelting drops. It did not take long for them to become heavier and more furious. When the quake of thunder exploded around her she turned and started to walk the way she had come._

 _The water just on the other side of her lit up with the lightning of the sky. Laurel started to run._

 _I myself was running just so that I would not lose her. The sight of her face was already swallowed by the rain._

 _Lightning struck, blindingly, just in front of her. Fear grasped my heart._

" _Laurel!" My voice was horse and booming, but fell upon deaf ears, almost deaf to my own if it weren't for the crack of thunder._

 _She turned to escape the danger, only to be pushed forward into it instead._

A loud crack of thunder awoken me with a gasp.

Laurel, she _fell_ into electrifying lightning.

I looked up into the night sky instinctively to gaze at the storm here.

Something was falling through the air. Was it a bird? As it started to gain momentum the closer it got, I could see it was not a bird at all. It was something much larger. It was coming right for me actually.

With a start I jumped, reckless as I was, holding my arms out ready to catch the oddity.

The force of the drop and thing brought me to my knees, grunting at the impact. With all the gentleness I could bestow I rolled the object into the ground to inspect it.

A familiar ache burst through my chest as I saw a familiar woman. Wearing a worn green short tunic of various hues, and dark blue pants, she was soaked to the bone. Just as I pushed back the hood of her clothing, her russet hair tumbled out. The short breath was stuck in my throat.

Laurel?

"Fili," my voice bellowed across the valley.

My hands grasped her face, pulling her head into my lap. How could this be happening? Falling into lightning takes you to another world? Voices were vaguely heard coming up the hill. Was she even alive? I lowered my head to her mouth, listening for her breath. A faint inhale and exhale could be heard. Excitement started to bubble up within me.

"Kili, what is it," Fili asked kneeling down next to me.

A gasp left me, "She fell from the sky."

"She's soaked to the bone, we better find a dry space and start a fire for her to warm up," he whispered urgently. "Do you have her? I'll go start the fire."

Her weight was so light, I feared for her health as I carried her down the hill. Gandalf was persuading a fire to life under a cliff where the rain was not so heavy. With some of his powers he allowed a small bubble of clear air. I laid her gently against the ground, and then placed myself behind her with her head against my legs once more. Russet locks were soaked as well, causing me to run my fingers through them.

"Where did she come from," Gandalf asked.

"Quite literally out of the sky," I murmured. "I looked up and she was falling, right into my arms."

"We cannot let this halt our journey," Thorin muttered as he strode towards all the commotion.

A grunt of sorts escaped me. They would have to have a dragon breathe it's flames of death upon me before I will leave without her. "Uncle," I muttered, "we cannot just _leave_ her in this condition. I will not leave her side."

Thorin crouched down to get a better look at her. Instinctively I wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer. Even if I did not want it to happen, there is always one being in this world that could stand between her and me, would be him.

"I know who she is," I muttered.

"If she is one of your whores—"

"Never," I growled, "she is of another world…"


	4. Bigger Foes Bring Harder Woes

**Kili**

It took a time to explain the severity of the situation. By time I finished the story, the sun had rose. All the while, I ensured that every part of her I could touch without undressing her was dry. One by one the rest of the company awoke. Bilbo took a look at her and agreed with my assumption of her race; he also thought she may be a Hobbit.

Not once did she stir.

"So," Thorin announced once everyone woke and was gathered around, "our journey has come to a minor bump. We must build a sleigh of sorts so that we can transport her with us. This… woman is Kili's companion forward on. Once we reach a town we will assess her condition and see if she is fit for this journey or not."

Most of the dwarves jumped to action, going into the woods and gathering materials.

Once I explained to him of the dream—and the one that happened just before she fell from the sky—he agreed that it was no coincidence that I have been seeing her for years, and she suddenly appear to me. As for how she got here; not even Gandalf was able to come up with an explanation.

In a matter of hours the camp was packed and ready to move. Dori and Bofur got Nori to help them compose of the simple sleigh. It was big enough for Laurel to lay on and someone else to keep an eye on her. Though I wanted nothing more to ride with her, I felt it would have been better for Oin to keep watch of her health. We were able to dry her clothes, but a chill still ghosted over her skin and a fever on her forehead was starting.

Throughout the day when we took breaks for the horses to rest or to refill our water skins, Ori would sit in front of the sleigh and draw pictures of Laurel. One time I stood above him and watched as he tried to capture her likeness.

"What sort of tunic is this," Ori pinched the various hued green short tunic. "I haven't seen anything of the sort before. It's hard to draw it. The runes are very odd as well."

I knelt down beside him, looking between her and the forest around us. Was this the clothing she wore when she hunted? "I think this is her hunting attire," I murmured, "it allows her to disappear into the trees."

Dwalin was watching from a distance, "I dunno how she'd hunt in tha'. Too heavy."

I also pinched the material, amazed at how thick it was compared to my own jacket I wore.

"Let's continue forward," Thorin called from the line of ponies.

At the end of that day we were camped for the night once more. Thorin tried to stay in an abandoned home that appeared to have burned down, but Gandalf insisted to camp closer to the woods.

When a conclusion was not met, Gandalf stormed off into the night leaving us. Glolin created a fire in a matter of minutes. I gathered Laurel placed her in front of the fire with blankets surrounding her.

"Brother, watch over her while I take watch of the ponies," I muttered. "Have Bilbo bring me some soup when it's ready."

There was a big enough pasture on the edge of the woods that the abandon house had to keep the ponies mostly kenneled while they rested for the night. My body sagged against a tree trunk, eyes dropping with tiredness. Now that Laurel was actually here I didn't really want to sleep anymore, I much rather stay with her until she woke. Alas I couldn't fight the need for sleep.

The sound of a snapping branch in the woods startled me. It was quite loud and very close. I rose and glanced at all the ponies to see if they were startled as well.

There was two ponies missing.

Before I could go look to see if they were the ones that made the noise in the woods, Bilbo was climbing up the hill with a bowl in his hand. "I brought you some of the soup that Bombur made," he forced a smile.

"Bilbo," I muttered, "we are missing ponies."

A loud unfamiliar laugh crackled through the night. In the distance a large fire could be seen in between the tree trunks, one that was not ours. Each of us slowly crept through the woods, trying to get a better look at what was happening. In-between a couple of trees was our ponies, tied in a rope barrier. Next to the fire were three large trolls.

Bilbo chirped, jumping behind me. "Bilbo," I pushed him towards the commotion. "Take this blade and cut the ponies free. This is one of your burglary moments!"

"What if they catch me," he urged more importantly, "what then?"

"Go ahead and start," I motioned, "I will get the rest of the dwarves. We will defend you if anything happens."

Without a second look to him I jumped to action, running past the remaining ponies and to the camp we had set up. Everyone turned to look at me while I started to catch my breath, "Trolls. Stole the ponies!"

"We left them alone for only a few moments," Balin grunted, "how is it they stole all he ponies in just a few moments? Without making any noise?"

"Not all," I remarked, "just two. Bilbo is going to try and cut them free. We must go aid him!"

One by one they rose, grabbing all of their weapons. One glance at Laurel told me she was asleep and wouldn't wake for a while still yet. A few tree branches and leaves were lying on the edge of our camp, so I gently laid them across her to try and hide her from anyone who happens to walk by. It would be good enough until we returned. Dori put out the fire to hide our location.

Together we rushed to the tree line quietly to watch. The three trolls were large, eight dwarves tall and about five dwarves wide. Bilbo was the size of their hands. He crept behind the one, where the ponies were standing and tried to cut through the rope.

In the center of their area was a tall fire underneath a pot and spit.

"I 'aven't ate ponies in a long time," one of them exclaimed. "Tonight will be a good supper indeed."

"Tom," another called, "grab one of the ponies and prepare it. The pot is almost ready for meat."

Just as the troll called Tom turned around to grab a pony, Bilbo yelled and fell into the rope dropping the knife. A groan left me softly, what kind of burglar drops his weapon and gets caught?

"What's this," Tom shouted as he picked Bilbo up by the leg, dangling him high for the other trolls to see. " I've never seen one of these bafor'!"

All three started to argue about what he was. "When do we attack," Dwalin asked quietly.

"We wait to see if he gets away first, or if the sun will rise before," Thorin stated.

"He don't smell bad," the troll that was stirring the pot muttered, "might as well throw him in as well."

The last troll drew a long blade from his waist and pointed it at Bilbo.

"Attack now," Thorin muttered disdainfully. At once all the dwarves surged forward with a cry of battle. The trolls were startled, the one dropping Bilbo.

The arrows at my hip were made of wamara and plentiful, along with the strong sword at my hip. Fili and I jumped the nearest troll, stabbing it and shooting it with the weapons we had. It flinched and started to swing it's large hands. The rest of the pack of dwarves were similarly attacking the other two monsters.

Suddenly I was knocked to the ground, air leaving my lungs and me breathless for a moment. With another arrow knocked I took aim for the nearest trolls throat.

"Drop all yer weapons," one called out loudly, "or I rip 'is arms and legs off."

In-between two fingers on each hand was one of Bilbo's. The beast was pulling on his hands and arms causing our Hobbit friend to groan and fidget. "I'll do it," the troll muttered again, "drop all the weapons."

Begrudgingly each of us dropped the weapons in our hands.

One by one we were tied at the feet and wrists, then bagged to our necks and tossed into a pile off to the side. Our weapons were collected and tossed in a pile next to the ponies.

"William, how many dwarvies do we want ta start cooking," Tom exclaimed excitedly.

"I don't know," the cook muttered, "but do we want to skin them, chop them up, or boil 'em alive?"

Time seemed to drag along as the trolls argued back and forth on how they were going to cook us. Half of us were picked up and tied to the spit to turn and cook slowly.

How were we going to get out of this mess? Closing my eyes I prayed to the Valar that no one was messing with Laurel and she was alright.

Bilbo stood quickly in his sack, eyes darting everywhere. "You don't want to be doing this. Very bad business, eating dwarves and Hobbits."

"It is very good business, and food," William muttered, poking Bombur with a branch as he turned over on the spit.

"No very bad business, especially the lot of us. Infected, everyone," Bilbo stuttered, eyes still raking the woods around us.

Infected with what? No one here has aliments! Some of the dwarves agreed with me, muttering about nonsense. The trolls were bickering back and forth about eating something infected. Dwalin grunted about being as healthy as a horse. Thorin kicked him and gave him a look.

"I've got parasites as big as me arm," he changed his tune, rolling over and looking ill.

The rest of us joined, moaning and groaning about being sick.

"Don't listen to them you fools," William muttered, "they are trying to trick us into freeing them. We're going to eat every last one. We better hurry before the sun comes up."

A small gasp could be heard faintly before one of the trolls, Bert as he was called, grunted. "Ow, something bit me," he muttered, looking all around for something that could have bit him. A tree branch shook, causing all of us to look towards it.

As quick as lightning, something shot out from between the leaves.


	5. Fuck, I'm Dreaming Again

The cold air hit the skin of my face, causing me to shiver and burrow deeper into the warm I was encased in. A tickle started in my face forcing me to move my hand and touch whatever was making it happen. The sound of crunching leaves was loud in my ear. Leaves? What the hell… the last thing I remembered was being on a beach, with sand.

It was lightning.

I sat up as quick as I could, throwing a bunch of things on top of me off and onto the ground all around. It was an assortment of branches, leaves, and blankets of wool. It was almost light outside, but still dark enough that I could see the sun rising in the distance under the hill and the moon on the other side setting. In front of me was a burnt out fire pit. Did I crawl home and build a fire and fall asleep after the beach? Why don't I remember actually doing it?

At least I didn't dream of Kili.

The thought brought pain to my heart, but I pushed it aside as I stood and stretched. This is a start of a new Laurel. No more imagining make believe and trying to escape life through fantasies of a handsome dwarf.

I looked out into the sky, gasping by the millions of stars and crescent moon that were present. There were different hues of blues and purples in between the endless amount of bright lights above me. They were not very saturated due to the rising sun. The moon even looked larger than I have ever seen it, almost twice as large.

This was not my sky.

Around me there were some leather satchels and blankets, even a large wooden sled.

Where the hell was I?

A quick check of my person told me I was still in the same clothes I left the house in, and that none of them have been removed. Running my fingers through my hair, they got caught in a knot. Fingers pulling and plucking, I found it was not a knot at all, but a small three strand braid on the bottom layer near my neck. At the end it was tied off with a piece of leather strand.

In the distance I could hear a commotion. It sounded like arguing. Looking off towards the direction it came from there was a large fire. Is it possible I was with someone? Did they move to another fire? With caution I tip-toed into the woods to investigate. The closer I got to the fire, the more my eyes grew.

Before me were three large…monsters. They were sickly gray and bulky as boulders, as tall as a four story building and as wide as a few sheds. One was sitting on the ground poking at the dirt, while another was leaned over the fire. The last was standing and watching something on the other side of the flames.

They were people in…potato sacks? I got as close as I could to the tree line on my stomach, watching intently. When the one in front of the fire moved, I could see even more people tied up and being rotated like rotary chicken on a spit above the licking orange streams. These monsters were going to eat those people!

"William, how many dwarvies do we want ta start cooking," one of the monsters asked almost as if he were excited.

"I don't know," the one who was tending to the fire muttered, "but do we want to skin them, chop them up, or boil 'em alive?"

I had to do something.

There were horses tied off to the side by the trees on my right. Next to the horses were a pile of what looked like swords and axes. Maybe I could grab a sword and try to cut some of the people in sacks out. I reached into my jeans pocket and pulled out my pocket knife. It was a nice little knife, but it was no use at cutting rope or cloth quickly. If I was going to succeed at this, I needed to be quiet and blend in.

My jeans were very baggy and my boots large and clunky.

Without much noise I toed off my boots and took my knife to my jeans, cutting the pants off at the thigh. Should have worn my boot cut jeans today instead of the damn hippy ones.

I crawled to the pile of weapons and looked around at what I could find. On the very top was a long recurve bow, very recurved. It looked as if it came straight from the tree on how the wood was cut on the edges, but everything else was clean and smoothed. The handle of it was another wooden notch with geometric designs and other wood work. It was gorgeous. To the left on the bottom of the pile was a quiver of arrows.

Excellent.

Keeping my eyes trained on the monsters, I grabbed the bow and the arrows. I slung the beauty over my shoulders and handled the arrows as I crawled backwards into the nearby bushes once more. When I was far enough that I could rise and they wouldn't notice me, I paced around the tree line looking for a good tree to shoot from. I quickly shed my baggy camouflage sweater and started to climb.

My bare feet were chilled as the tough soles touched the harsh bark of the oak tree. It took me a while to climb up the giant, but I found the perfect branch to shoot from. It faced the campsite and was wide enough that I could stand properly.

As I studied the monsters I could tell their skin was very hard and leathery, so trying to shoot them anywhere that wasn't soft was a waste.

Through it eye it would be then.

Pulling an arrow from the quiver, I admired it shortly. It was as long as arrows I normally used were, perfect for the bow it came with. The feathers on it were odd, and yellowish orange that I had never seen before. The tip of the arrow was a smooth metal that gleamed in the light, but had notches down the side of it. Not exactly for hunting, but also not for target practice. None the less it didn't matter, I was killing something.

Notching the arrow I took a stance and deep breath. I was maybe twenty yards from my target, almost eye level, just slightly below. I pulled the taught string of the bow and took aim. It was much heavier of a weight in pull that I expected for such an elegant bow. I tried to aim quickly before I lost the pull and released the string. I was gripping the bow so tightly it curved into my forearm, catching me and causing me to gasp.

"Ow, something bit me," the monster I took aim for shouted. The arrow hit him just between the eyes, a mere three feet to the left of my original aim of its' right eye.

Notching another arrow I took aim a little farther to the right and released again. The arrow found its target this time, sinking right through the soft tissue and into the monsters' skull, only the notch of the arrow peeking through. Instantly the gray beast fell to the ground on its' belly, twitching softly as it drooled everywhere.

"What just happened," one of the other one's spoke, "did he fall asleep?"

"I dunno," the one called William spoke, "we will wake him up when supper is ready."

Not if I had anything to do about it. Bow still in hand and notched with another arrow, I stomped on the branch, causing it to quake and rattle its' leaves. The other monster that was sitting looked up right at me, eyes squinting to try and find anything that was making the ruckus. I took a deep breath and released as my arrow soared and plunked again into the soft tissue of its eye. This one simply slumped over backwards and didn't move anymore.

The sun finally rose to glare in my eye, but I didn't let it distract me. Each of the people in the sack were saying things all along, but I had to zone out and concentrate. A new loud voice made itself known, saying something I didn't quiet catch, but it allowed for the last monster to look in my direction. Not wasting another moment I took aim with the last arrow and let it fly.

Just as I was releasing the string, the beast groaned and turned to stone.

What the fuck is going on?

The arrow ricocheted off of the stone eye, darting down and into the woods elsewhere. That was a wooden arrow, it should have _snapped_. I fingered another one in awe, looking at the sleek black wood.

Cheers could be heard from the ground, all the people wiggling about as they were trying to get out of their confinements. Right, I was on a mission to save people. Slinging the beauty of a bow across my shoulders and clipping the quiver to my pant loops, I make quick work of climbing down the tree. At the bottom I shivered and tied my jacket around my waist, I could put it back on after I released those people.

One guy in particular was standing already, hopping towards the pile of weapons.

"Hang on a second, I got you," I called, starting to jog towards him. He stopped dead in his tracks, turning towards me quickly and falling over with a groan. All the other conversations I could hear stopped as I approached him and pulled out my pocket knife. Now that I wasn't in a hurry the knife would do just well. In moments I had him out of the sack, and it took me a little bit longer to get him out of the rope around his hands and feet. All the while he was staring at me in almost awe.

There were more people hanging over a fire, so I didn't have time to get a good look at him. He was just slightly shorter than myself, with a mess of honey brown curls and a short round nose. "This thing will take longer," I pointed to my knife, "go ahead and grab one of those swords over there and get that lot. I'll put out the fire and get them up there."

All the dirt around me was hard with the cold, so I had to stab some of it to release it from the ground's hold. In a matter of five minutes I had the fire out. The men above me sighed in appreciation. "Thank ya lass, it was getting a bit warm over here," one called out. Just when I was trying to figure out how to climb up there to cut them out, a very tall man in a long grey cloak and hat approached us.

"Ah," he took a quick glance at me, "you are awake. Alright dwarves! It is going to be a bit of a fall, prepare yourselves!"

Did he say dwarves?

A long wooden staff he was holding tapped against the spit, some of the ropes appeared to have snapped and one or two of the men fell onto the ground. They were up in a minute waiting for the rest of them to untangle themselves and fall as well. I finally turned and looked at the two monsters I shot, walking up to them and looking into their dead lifeless faces.

Right through the eye into the brain.

Both arrows had in fact sunk in deep enough just for me to get my hand around the notch and try and yank it out. It was as if there was a pencil in a soccer ball their eyes were so huge. The second one was a lot more difficult since I had to climb on top of it and yank from below. When the arrow released, it came out covered cloudy white dripping juices like rubber cement.

"Yuck," I muttered. As I turned around, I had to take a step back, shocked as a dozen or so men were staring at me intently. "Erm, what were those things, and why were they trying to _eat_ all of you?"

One man in particular stepped forward, he was one of the tallest of the lot. His leather coat was lined with fur, covering an odd shirt that had a honeycomb pattern of metal. Long dark brown hair lined with grey in some areas flowed down his back without a part. Just underneath his hairline a braid poked out, tied off with a metal clasp. When he spoke his beard did not flow due to its shortness.

"Those were stone trolls," his voice was deep and lined with authority. I stood a little straighter as he spoke more. "They were trying to eat our ponies, so we came to reclaim them. Trolls will eat anything they can get ahold of. We owe you our gratitude for you aid in our rescue."

"She _killed_ two trolls through the eye," the tallest man in the cloak spoke, "I think that is impressive Thorin."

"I would have got the last one too, but it turned to stone," I trialed off confused. The monster stood just to my left, and was truly made of stone.

Another man started to make his way forward, pushing through the rest.

Just standing feet from me, covered in a leather jacket, he approached me deliberately. In response I took another step backwards, hand pulling out my pocket knife and flicking it open quickly. Dark bushy eyebrows furrowed together as he rose his leather glove covered hand. Something about his dark brown hair that tangled together and pulled halfway up screamed familiarity.

"Laurel."

Instantly my eyes closed and the ghost of fingers trailed through my hair. Soft and full of compassion, his voice was always something that I wanted to hear as I fell asleep and when I woke. It was the same as I always remembered.

"Fuck, I'm dreaming again," I muttered throwing my knife down in frustration.


	6. Sanity is the Price of Truth

**Laurel**

This was one crazy dream. It would make sense, especially if there were _trolls._ I didn't want to dream of Kili any longer none the less!

"When have I ever hurt you," he laughed quietly, offering his hand still yet and taking another step forward.

"Doesn't matter," I quickly picked up my knife and tossing it only to catch it again. In this position I could hold the blade the opposite way, pointing away from me. I have never hurt him either, but I was prepared to do so. "You just go your own way, with them," I muttered, "and I'll go wonder off until I wake up. I am not going through this shit again."

He stopped, dropping his hand. Looking around us, he pointed to the trolls with one hand and then to the other men with another. "None of our dreams involved anyone else but ourselves," he whispered, "have they?"

There wasn't anyone else… that was true. It still didn't mean this was real. I had to have died or something for me to just pop up in his land, Middle Earth.

"Remember when we climbed the pine," he murmured, finally closing the distance between us and pushing my hand aside, "you _fell_ from the top to the bottom?"

"Yeah," I furrowed my brows, "what does that have to do with anything?"

Delicately he grabbed my left arm, fingers tracing the already purple bruise from when the string of the bow grazed me on my first shot. I hissed, trying to pull away. He was quick to hold on tight, "When you fell from the pine you did not feel pain. You feel this pain though. It is not a dream, I promise you this."

Silence filled the clearing around us. The only thing I could hear was the beating of my heart in my ears. Kili's face was just as I remembered, devilishly handsome. His lips tweaked into a satisfied smirk, the scruff on his face was molding around it. A gasp started in the back of my throat just remembering how it felt to have his beard scratch against my cheeks as he kissed me earnestly the last time I slept peacefully.

"How did I get here," I asked.

"I do not understand myself," he slowly released my arm but kept his other around me, "you quite literally fell from the sky into my lap. I dreamt you fell into a lightning bolt and when I awoke you were dropping through the night."

I was so busy getting lost in the sight of him, I forgot there were other people with us. Someone cleared their throat.

"I am Gandalf," the tallest man stated, bending to offer me his hand. Quickly I detangled myself from Kili to approach him and shake it. "You are Laurel?"

"Yes," I whispered, "Laurel Took."

A small exclamation of surprise erupted from the man who I released first. He came upon me and started to walk in circles, bending down and inspecting my feet. At one point he pushed my hair aside and pulled on the shell of my ear. "Ow," I muttered swatting his hands away, "what are you doing?"

"Well there is no doubt about it, she is _partially_ a Hobbit," he muttered, fingers tapping his head in confusion. "You're a Took? Father was mostly Hobbit I suppose. I am Bilbo Baggins, my mother was Belladonna Took. I suspect we are of family!"

Hobbit? I looked at his feet, noticing the largeness and hairiness of them. In comparison mine were smaller, but still large for my person, they were _not_ as hairy or thick in sole. Our ears were nothing alike either, his were pointed slightly at the top and very huge. "Family," I whispered, "Interesting."

One by one everyone came forward and introduced themselves. Each and every one except Gandalf and Bilbo was a dwarf. Maybe in my world was smaller than this one, making everyone in it smaller. We still did not have monsters and dwarves and hobbits or wizards. Instead we only had men and women and animals.

The bow across my shoulders was being tugged off, Kili handling it and then grabbing the quiver to sling across his shoulders. "You did very well with my bow," he smirked, "no one even noticed you took it or what happened when the trolls fell."

I always knew in the back of my mind Kili smirked when we hunted, because I suspected he was an archer as well. He never confirmed or denied the fact. With such a beautiful bow I hoped he was an excellent one.

"I'm sorry miss," the dwarf who introduced himself as Ori, "but what happened to your clothing. Are you not cold?"

I had forgotten that I was in just a thin tank top with spaghetti straps. My once long somewhat warm jeans were now shorts that got cut off at the knee, and cold. "Oh yes," I shivered, "I am very cold. I have to find where I left my boots."

In the light it was easier to find the tan canvas tough boots, and the ground was just as cold when I plopped down to lace them up. Everyone else started down the hill that I first climbed up almost an hour ago. At the clearing there were more horses I hadn't noticed before. Kili approached one and dug through the saddle bag, walking up to me with a bundle of cloth in his hands.

"Might be bigger," he ushered for me to take them, "but they will keep you warm enough for now until we can find you something more suitable."

The pants were brown and thick, almost itchy and I pulled them on over my newly acquired shorts. Since they were longer I had to roll them up and try to stuff them into my boots. A soft green shirt draped me, landing past my knees. The outfit oddly familiar. Even on Kili I felt it would have ended mid-thigh. Most of it got shoved into the pants. My sweater was pulled on over that making me all the warmer.

"Thank you," I murmured, finger idly playing with the braid in my hair. He must have put it there, but when?

"If I fell from the sky, how long was I asleep," I asked.

"About two days," he responded, fingers fingering the braid as well and tugging softly, "sorry about that, I could not help myself." Just like that, he pulled the braid out and untangled my hair.

Disappointment filled me. From what he told me, braids were important to dwarves. Wouldn't it mean that this braid was a signal of something, and he was just taking it out? At the thought I shook my head. It didn't matter, I told myself that I would not allow for this to happen. They are on a quest to try and defeat a _dragon_ , some people will probably die, he could die.

I didn't want to be my mother.

Gandalf and some of the dwarves searched a cave, emerging with swords and gold that the trolls had saved. Evidently, that cave was their home. Thorin announced it was time to leave, Kili ushered me onto his horse and saddled it behind me. Throughout all the times in my dreams Kili and I never did more than hold hands if anything. We hugged on a couple of occasions, but I never let him hold me until the last one. This positioning while riding a horse was very intimate because I could feel him pressed up against me, arms on either side to hold the reins, and his breath hot in my hair. Not to mention his smell encased me since I was in his clothes.

Even at the back of the line, we could hear what all the others were saying. His brother Fili was riding beside us, occasionally glancing our way. Thorin had decided that when we came across another town we would see about what to do with me. The statement had me reeling and feeling offended. It wasn't as if I tried to come here and get into all their business.

Kili promised that he would buy me warmer boots and clothing, no matter how many times I told him I was fine with what I was in.

Some of the dwarves asked me questions, about where I learned to shoot a bow or about my world. Most of the questions were hard to explain, like that there were cars and trains where in Middle Earth they had horses and carriages. Other things amazed them, such as my odd clothing and the fact that I was independent as a female.

None the less they spoke of how I killed two—almost three trolls—very fondly. Fili fought with his uncle about how I wouldn't be a problem as much as he had originally assumed. From what I had gathered, this dwarf, Kili and Fili's uncle, was not keen on anyone; unless they were dwarves.

"So are you disappointed that I am here," I whispered softly, hoping that Fili would not hear the conversation I was going to try and have with his brother. I do not want to get attached to Kili, even though I am afraid I am in already too deep, but it was still nice to know if he cared about me like I knew I cared about him.

"Never," he replied, breath brushing my hair aside. One hand took the reins while another wrapped around my middle as he sniffed at my hair, "I am very happy that you are here. Uncle is not pleased at my attachment to you, but I do not care at this point."

Shivers ran up and down my spine at his words, even with all the layers of clothing. A soft chuckle escaped his lips as they were next to my ear, nose running along my neck. The feelings he was starting to stir within me had me straining forward to get away.

"Thorin is your uncle, right," I asked, trying to change the subject. Fili coughed to our left, adorning a smirk of sorts. Great, he just saw the whole encounter. How much did Kili tell everyone of our…friendship?

"Yes," Fili cleared his throat, embarrassed to have be caught staring, "though after that display with the trolls, he may be thinking otherwise."

The day seemed to drag on, but it didn't stop the easy flow of conversation between the brothers and I. Fili told many stories of them as they were younger. I especially liked the ones he told of Kili having embarrassing moments. "There is something with him and Elves," Fili chuckled, "he's always had a thing for them. The day he turned seventy—"

"Seventy," I exclaimed turning to look at him behind me.

He laughed, "Yes Seventy."

"How old are you now," I wondered aloud.

"Seventy-seven," he stated as almost proud.

Seventy-seven. My jaw dropped in awe. Yes he had told me that dwarves could live to be at least two-hundred, but he still looked so young. "I am only twenty-four," I muttered.

"Anyway," Fili laughed once more, "he snuck one home, and it was the time that uncle was visiting. He took her to his room—"

"Do not finish that story," Kili growled out.

"—he was down to his trousers when Uncle burst through the door and bellowed. Never seen little Kili turn so red in my entire life. I swear!"

It caused a little twinge of my heart, knowing that he was with some other woman—elf—and she was probably prettier. Of course she was, she was an _elf_! I remained silent the rest of the ride, stacking up reason after reason about why it was a horrible idea to have feelings for this dwarf. Thorin rode ahead of the rest, dripping with leadership. I believed Kili when he said that Thorin does not care for his attachment to me. At least elves were of this world, Thorin probably hated the fact more since I was from another world.

Almost suddenly a man just a smidge shorter than Gandalf ran up to us, looking as if he lived out in the woods. The rat's nest of his hair was thick and tangled, and something white and mucky stuck to the side of his face and hair. Everyone started to dismount the horses, pulling weapons left and right. The staff that he carried reminded me of the one that Gandalf was carrying as well.

"Gandalf," he urged. "Something is amiss."


	7. The Heart is in the Eye of the Beholder

**Kili**

Gandalf got off his horse, looking happy to see the other man. "Radagast! What a pleasant surprise! What is amiss?"

He must be a wizard as well. They seemed familiar with one another, and their magic could be aided by the weird staffs that they were using. This was probably the brown wizard he spoke of from before, the one that lived in the forest with the animals.

Radagast fidgeted around, twitching and stuttering, "S-something is in Dol Guldur. The forest! Greenwood is being poisoned! There is something at work!"

Everyone had already gotten off their ponies, but I was still helping Laurel off of ours. The loud cry of an animal boomed across the woods we occupied. It was hoarse and long, almost as if a bark and growl of a wolf. None the less it rose the hairs on the back of my neck. Soon multiple cries rang out, the horses got spooked and started run in the direction Radagast came.

"Who did you tell of your quest Thorin," Gandalf bellowed.

"No one! I spoke of nothing to a soul except everyone here," he replied angered.

Gandalf scoffed looking around a moment as more cries could be heard. "Orcs, they are on our trail. We must run."

Immediately my mind went to the orc I battled just a half a decade ago. The creature attacked me one night as I was riding home from town. Fili was home with mother and Thorin, I went to town to fetch some wheat. Darkness started to fall as I started to pass a tavern. There were some lovely women inside that looked a little bit lonely. After a few drinks and no luck with any of the them, I left. Just as I was approaching the mountain we lived near, it flew at me and knocked me right off my pony.

I will never forget the impact of its blade that pierced my chest; in that moment I thought I was going to die. Though I was not ready for death, so I fought with vigor and killed the beast. It took about a week or so to heal from the attack.

"Go to the valley," Radagst demanded, "I will lead them away."

"Radagast, they have wargs, they will outrun you," Gandalf exclaimed.

"These are rhosgobel rabbits," the shorter wizard narrowed his eyes in response, "I'd like to see them try."

With a whistle a dozen or so larger rabbits tied together and pulling a sled emerged. Radagast mounted the sled and snapped the reins, disappearing into the distance. At once everyone jumped to action, following Gandalf's lead into a valley. There was not much coverage in the vast area of open planes. All the baggy clothes Laurel was wearing was making it difficult for her to keep up, but I never released her from my hold.

We darted in-between all the boulders in the valley, watching as Radagast flew across the grass chased by the Orcs riding wargs. At one point he lead the line of enemies right before us. Gandalf changed direction, informing us to all stay together.

After more running Gandalf showed us where to go one by one as he and Thorin watched the line to account for all of us. "Where are you leading us," Thorin demanded of the wizard. In turn he did not respond.

One of the orcs fled away from the chase, coming towards where we were hiding right underneath a boulder overlook. The warg sniffed around surely smelling us. Thorin looked to me and nodded his head. Laurel was holding onto my elbow eyes flying everywhere. With as much gentleness I could I detached her hold, pulling out an arrow to notch it. After a deep breath I jumped out from under the boulder, taking quick aim and letting it strike the fierce animal.

It howled loudly crying in pain, forcing me to notch another arrow and shoot it again to try and kill it faster. Both the warg and the orc fell from the boulder, orc jumping to attack with a cry of battle. Dwalin was faster, axe already in it's head before it could even attempt to swing it's own weapon. Dori assisting to stab the creature until it moved no more.

Both the orc and the warg made too much noise.

The valley was filled the war cries of orcs and wargs alike.

"Move," Gandalf bellowed.

When I looked back over to grab Laurel's hand, I was taken back. The pants I gave her to wear for warmth were draped across her shoulders and tied at her chest, while her jacket she wore was tied at her waist. A look of determination laced her features, pine eyes set while a large stone were in each of her hands.

It brought a smile to my face knowing she was not scared and ready to do what she had to.

She ran ahead of me with everyone else, down to the bottom of a hill, almost in a pit of sorts. We were trapped, the enemies coming in on us in a distance from all sides. Some were even within shooting distance.

"Kili," Thorin called, "Kill them!"

One by one I drew arrows and shot at the ones that got to close to us. As I glanced back, Laurel was close to Bilbo, each of them putting their backs to one another and moving in a circle.

"Where did Gandalf go," someone shouted.

Dwalin spat on the ground as each of us closed ranks so we were more tight knit, "He has abandoned us!"

Ori was shooting them with small pebble stones, causing the wargs to become more angered. A feminine grunt came from behind me, and I watched as a larger stone soared over my head and hit an orc straight in the face, flinging it from it's warg. Then another hit the warg in the face shortly after, angering it as well.

"This way you fools," Gandalf called. He disappeared below a boulder. I ran to the boulder to make sure everyone else was able to get through. Thorin followed my lead standing on the other side. Laurel was busy attempting to throw more stones.

"Laurel," I bellowed, "come at once!"

Her head jerked up, dropping the rocks and following my command. An orc and warg started to charge right behind her. I quickly pulled an arrow ready to shoot but was unable to get a clear shot without shooting her. Suddenly her eyes widened and kicked her legs out, melting into the ground. I released the arrow and shot another in quick so that I could get both beasts.

Almost as if she never fell, she rose and continued to run. When she reached us, she did the same horizontal slide performed moments ago, sliding down the slope into the secret cave of the boulder. After everyone else had gotten to this safety Thorin and I dropped as well.

A horn sounded across the valley. Hooves of horses galloping and the twang of bows were abundant.

The cave was long and led somewhere, we wasted no time in fleeing down the pathway we found. My hand sought out Laurel, pulling her in front of me and behind Thorin. In a half hours' time we came across a place of peace. Next to a mountainside where structures were lined with green foliage and waterfalls.

"It's beautiful," Laurel murmured as she followed the line of dwarves.

"Rivendell," Bilbo answered softly amazed.

Thorin accused Gandalf of seeking refuge with our enemies, the elves.

"There are no enemies here Thorin Oakenshield," Gandalf accused back, "the only ill will to be found here is that of what you create yourself!"

"The elves will not bless this quest, they will deny us," Thorin argued.

"We have questions that mean to be answered," Gandalf simply replied. "Leave the talking to me."

Laurel gasped and awed at everything as we passed on our way to the gates. It was as if she had never seen such sights before. Though I will admit I had not seen anything of the sort before myself.

As we got to the gates of Rivendell another familiar horn rang out, everyone closing ranks around ourselves to keep Bilbo and Laurel safe in the middle as elves ran in on horses and weapons.

The elf who seemed to be in charge said something in elvish that we couldn't understand, Gandalf replying. Conversation flowed between the two as we all started to lower our weapons. Laurel's fingers found my arm, pulling me down a bit as she rose on her tip toes to whisper in my ear. "Think of all the female elves that are roaming," she muttered.

I burrowed my nose in her hair to find her ear as well, "I think I am more fond of halfling hobbits lately."

"Come," Gandalf declared, "they offer us food."

The pine green eyes of Laurel seemed to brighten at the prospect of food. When was the last time she ate? We were led inside, where the delicate carvings of the stone walls were almost glowing. For all the time I chased elvish women around, I've never been into the home of one. It was a sight to see.

At a large round table, we were presented with various vegetables, fruits, and bread. Only Laurel murmured a quiet 'thank you' as she started to fill a plate of food. True to her heritage, I watched as she ate more food than someone as small as she would normally have. "You do eat like a Hobbit," I whispered, licking juices of an orange off my fingers.

"I haven't eaten in a while," she muttered," since before you found me."

"Do eat as much as you'd like," the elf that spoke to Gandalf before stated, "I do not believe we were introduced. Elrond."

"Laurel," she replied just loud enough to be heard, "Thank you again for the food."

"No thanks are needed," he murmured taking more interest, "though I am intrigued. You are not of this world, but of the world of tomorrow."

World of tomorrow? It would make sense, though how did she come to be here was the real question.

"The future," she whispered, "right. Sure."

"You are of man, hobbit," he stated, "and elf. An interesting heritage indeed."

Elf? Nearly everyone in the company starred in shock. No wonder I was attracted to her. The woman herself gulped, shyly looking upon from under her lashes. A glance down the table revealed that Thorin was no pleased with the information at all.

"I can see it in your aura," Elrond stated, "more elvish than man, but equally as hobbit. If what Gandalf mentioned was true, how the young dwarf described your coming here, I believe you to be Calaquendi. Elf of the light. To return you to the world of tomorrow, you will need a heart of a mountain."

"Why," Thorin starred daggers at my woman in question.

"The heart of a mountain is a powerful stone, if she repeats the process of how she got here with the heart of a mountain it will return her to where she belongs."

The rest of the meal was finished in silence. Even Gandalf was stunned by the information that was shared with us. Never had it came across my mind that she would or could return home. I was still trying to process how she was even here. All of the sudden changes seemed to stun her into silence or become uncomfortable.

"The map Gandalf shows me has writing in old dwarvish. I cannot read it unless it is under the same moonlight it was written in. The moon tomorrow will suffice for this need," Elrond announced after everyone finished eating. "You may stay here or outside tonight. Laurel, if you would come with me we can assist you with some of your needs."

After I gave her a small nod she rose, following him and a couple of the servants out of the room and away from my sight.

Things seemed to be becoming more sticky and interesting indeed.


	8. Sweet Apple and Wine Dances

Thorin declared it was more comfortable for us to stay outside for the night rather within the walls of our 'enemies'. As a fire was started we all started to settle in, some smoking from pipes. Gandalf disappeared into the walls, leaving Bilbo looking somewhat uncomfortable with us. Laurel had still yet to return from when she left us earlier. It had been hours, and I began to worry.

Fili and I found a spot near the trees away from the fire to place our things and make an area to sleep. We did not want to tear up the grass or weeds in the clearing, because it would surely upset the elves. Instead we used some of our spare clothing as pillows.

"Oh Ori, that is a great drawing!"

Laurel's voice perked my interested, she had returned. The elves had given her a smaller thinner green tunic and smaller thinner brown pants. All of which that fit quite nicely, shaping against her curves. Across her chest she adorned a brown leather vest lined with pockets that trailed down her abdomen; and made her chest more prominent. One arm was covered with a silver cuff to protect her wrist up to her elbow, while her other hand was covered partially with an archer's glove. Across her back was a brown worked bow and on her hip was a leather quiver of arrows. Slung to one side was a bag just barely hiding a long sword scabbard.

She was dressed as if she were prepared for this adventure, and she looked marvelous.

As I approached I could see that Ori had shown her the drawing that he made while she was sleeping the first day. It wasn't perfect, but it was a good drawing none the less.

"There you are," I stated, "I was starting to think that they had taken you and refused to return."

"Kili! Look at all the things they gave me," she smiled radiantly. Everyone started to gather around to see.

"They gave me a bow and arrows, dagger, sword, something to store water, clothing, a bag, and herbs for healing. One gave me a book to look from to study so that I can help while we are journeying," she showed each thing as she said it. "That is why I took so long. It's all in elvish so I had to have it read to me and write in English so that I can read it later." It was truly amazing that they had willingly given her all these things without anything in return. Then again maybe they were trying to make her feel comfortable in a world she is not familiar with.

"Well, I say we celebrate," Nori exclaimed.

"Celebrate what," Fili asked.

"For escaping enemies and death twice since we started this quest! One thanks to the lass, and another to Radagast and all our great fighters!"

At once everyone yelled together. In moments flutes and lutes were taken out, some playing while others started to smoke from pipes. Bofur produced a barrel of wine that was given to us, passing out goblets. I grabbed two myself and filled each up, handing one to Laurel and taking a deep drink myself.

"Here," I took her weapons and bag, handing her the wine, "take a sip. I will put your things down and then we will dance!"

After putting her items down next to Fili and I's things, I returned finishing off my goblet and lightly tossing the cup to the ground. Laurel was still sipping from hers. "Let me finish this and take off my shoes," she smirked. Tossing the cup up, she downed the rest, setting it upon the ground. The brown leather boots she was given where tossed aside, and I snatched her quickly.

Each of the dwarves that were up and dancing were flinging Laurel back and forth between the lot of us. Even Bilbo cut in and started to dance merrily as well. It was a splendid time of fun and laughs. Laurel snuck away for a moment, gasping and smiling alike.

"It's too hot," she laughed. I watched as her rustic hair cascaded down her back to tickle her buttocks. It was sheen with sweat.

"Would you like me to braid your hair for you," I murmured taking a step forward. "It looks awfully bothersome."

"You want to braid my hair," she asked in a light laugh.

With a step forward I grabbed her hand, pulling her with me to where our things were. "Go ahead, sit," I urged. Again she laughed, making my heart light with warmth. I sat behind her and dug through my sack for the comb I kept and some extra braid clasps for on the occasion I would braid my own hair.

"Sorry its sweaty," she offered.

"It is alright," I replied running the comb through her hair, "what would you like? Something simple? Down the back or off to the side? Loose or tight?"

"Something loose and off to the side I can sleep with. Too tight and I'll get headaches."

From where we were setting we could make out the fire in the distance, but we were still enough alone that no one would see us unless they came to look. I took the opportunity to be close to her, almost as close as we were while riding the pony. The feeling of her hair between my fingers was one I would never tire of.

"I love it when you play with my hair," she giggled softly, "it is soothing."

"Trust me when I say I love to do it," I murmured as she leaned back into my touch.

"The sky here is so beautiful, nothing like mine."

"Do you not have stars?"

"In my world, they capture electricity in glass bulb to produce light. It is so common that most of the world uses it excessively to the point where it is so bright that the stars dim in comparison. We have stars, but where I lived you could not see them properly. So all of this is what I've always wanted to see, everywhere here is so beautiful."

With each leg on either side of her I finished off her braid, clasping it and giving it a small tug. Since it rested against one of her shoulders, the other was bare to me with the column of her neck. It was hard to resist the urge, but I fell into it anyway, lulled with elvish wine. My hands held on to either side of her waist as I pressed my lips against the skin of her shoulder blade.

A soft gasp left her lips, her hands finding mine and resting on top of them.

I continued my assault on her neck, pulling her fully against me. She tasted of sweet apples almost, breathing just a little harder. "You are the most beautiful thing I have seen in this world in a long time," I whispered into her ear just before I pressed my lips behind it. My hands started to wonder north of her waist.

"Kili," she moaned out softly.

Yes, that was a new favorite. I liked that even more than her laugh I do have to say.

"Yes," I asked in a hoarse voice of my own. It had been a long time since I have lain with anyone, and since it was Laurel my need was a little stronger.

"Please, stop," she urged. It was then I finally noticed that she was trying to push away my hands near her breasts. "We can't. Stop."

Not wanting her to feel uncomfortable I pulled away begrudgingly. "Why," I asked honestly. "I thought—"

"No," she muttered getting up and away from me, "We can't. Thorin would not allow for it, I am not on the top list of his most favorite people. I don't want to be in this position."

"Well we can try another," I laughed, "you can lay atop of me. It is a pleasurable position for both."

All the color raced to her face.

"I do not care what my uncle thinks of us or you. I do say you saved our lives just this morning, his included," I rose to grasp her hands. "Do not worry of him. I wish not to waste time with you, I wasted so much in the past five years."

Her hands slipped from my own as she took another step back. Beauty was truly what she was. The braid I placed in her hair framed her face and trailed nicely, but I did not like the heartbroken look she was giving me.

"I just can't," she whispered.

"Is there someone else," I asked quietly.

"No," she whispered, "there is no one else."

Fili stumbled into the area, looking a little off balance and cheerful. "Lady Laurel," he stumbled to her, "you must share another dance with me!"

Her lips twitched into a smile. Jealousy pitted my stomach. Of course my brother would win her affection.

"I can't Fili," she urged, "I am too tired. I was just about to find somewhere to sleep."

"Nonsense," he laughed, "Kili has already made a spot beside us!"

I gestured to the spot we were just sitting in. "Come," I waved her over, "I have bedding for you to use. I promise I will not attempt to touch you."

"Kili," she groaned out, slumping and approaching me once more. "It isn't like that, I promise."

"Go to sleep," I muttered, laying in the spot between hers and Fili's, "I will wake you when it is time to rise in the morn."

With that I threw an arm over my eyes and attempted to sleep. Through her movements on the ground she laid next to me. Sleep found me soon after.


	9. Following the Path of Jealousy

How was I supposed to tell him I was scared to love him? That if something happened to him I would waste away like my mother. The ache in my chest was replaced with something more when he was kissing my neck. If it hasn't been for the fact that everyone was mere feet away I would have probably turned around and jumped on top of him, only to regret it later. No matter how much I tell myself I can't get into that position, I know deep down I am already there.

Once he finally fell asleep I threw the blanket he gave to me cover him and myself, curling into him. Almost as if he sensed my movement, he turned onto his side, letting me fit in the crook of his neck. He threw an arm over me and pulled me closer, sniffing my hair. A sigh of contentment filled me, this is where I was meant to be.

Suddenly he grasped my bottom and gave it a squeeze.

Oh Kili.

I was woken by someone kicking my leg. It wasn't a light kick either. With a rub to my eyes, I squinted against the rising sun to find Thorin standing above me. It was difficult to try and detangle myself from his nephew. Kili's leg was wrapped around me along with his arm. Surprisingly the prince was a heavy sleeper, as he did not wake when I got up.

Thorin was still standing before me, watching intently.

"Did you need something," I asked somewhat bitterly.

"A word with you," he muttered in distain.

I rose, stretching as I followed Thorin a little ways out away from everyone. We came upon the stream, where he bent down and splash water on his face and drinking lightly. When he rose and wiped his hands on his pants I stood a little straighter. Even if I didn't care for him he was still a king. Right?

"You are not of this world," he started as if it were a rehearsed speech. "You will come with us to the Lonely Mountain, so we can return you to your world. If it fails and you cannot be returned, you are to go stay with the Hobbit in the Shire. He has agreed it would be the best for you."

"Very well," I sighed almost at a loss.

"You are not to get close to Kili."

A harsh laugh left me, "It's already too late for that. He knows me better than anyone in my world and now your's."

"I have seen how he looks upon you," Thorin spat. "He is infatuated. He is heir to be king if something happens to Fili. Dwarf kings do not mate with Halflings."

That jab didn't hurt at all. Halfling. If it weren't true I would have been insulted.

"Alright," I muttered, "anything else?"

"This journey will be long and hard. If something happens to you I will not lift a finger for your aide. I will not be stopped by some mere girl that cannot take care of herself."

A scoff left me as my arms crossed over my chest.

"King or not Thorin Oakenshield," I spat out, "I won't stand here and let you insult me just because you don't like that I'm not a dwarf. I can take care of myself plenty out in the woods. It seems you have forgotten, so let me refresh your memory. I saved _your_ ass and everyone else's from three damn trolls just a few days ago. "

A look of disgust passed his face. "If it not for Kili I would leave you here," he muttered, "for if I left you, he would stay as well. Your words run wild and you speak of things you do not know. You have no place among us."

"Whatever. I didn't plan on trying to pursue Kili anyway, so don't get your trousers in a twist."

Someone cleared their throat, making my attention flip over to see Gandalf standing. He gestured to his left, revealing the rest of the dwarves. It appeared everyone came to listen in on the thrashing I was receiving. Kili looked more furious than myself. None the less I passed by each of them and back to where my things were. I wasn't going to stay where I wasn't welcomed.

After all my things were gathered I went back to the castle of sorts that the elves lived in. I was welcomed politely, even offered food. As I sat at the small table eating fruit everyone else came in to start eating as well. The mood was very somber, no one really speaking. At least all the food was fresh and plentiful.

Elrond joined the hall at the larger table with Gandalf. "Morning guests," he stated. "Tonight the moon will be perfect for reading the map you have brought. This time tomorrow you will be able to continue on with your journey with new knowledge and purpose."

Most of the dwarves cheered, starting new conversation soon after.

"Tell me Laurel," Elrond continued lightly, "why do you feast on the flesh of nature?"

I wiped at my lips, ridding myself from the juices of an apple. "Animals? Well because it is food," I stated confused.

"Elves value all life," Kili offered, "they will not maim animals unless their lives are in danger. Eating creatures is absurd to the elves."

"In my world it is very common for us to eat meat. There are farms dedicated just for it. I don't make a lot of money, so I hunt for food mostly, even have a small vegetable garden," I replied.

"Do you like it," Elrond asked interested.

"Yes, especially deer. Very clean and healthy meat."

Throughout the day I practiced using my newly acquired bow. It was beautiful. The string was very flexible, but easy to pull. I could not really test the distance it could shoot, but it did pack quiet a wallop. Though I did not hit my target every time, I was able to come pretty close. As long as my target in the future was big enough I would be able to strike fatally until I could make my aim more acute.

Kili didn't speak to me at all, instead he just watched me and followed wherever I went. It was sort of annoying, but I did not say anything to him about it.

Occasionally another dwarf, usually Bofur or Nori, would sit with me in the clearing and tell me stories of other adventures they had gone on. I in turn told them of different things in my world.

"They are called airplanes. Huge machines that travel people or things from far distances. They travel in the air like birds," I explained.

"Amazin'," Bofur seemed dumb founded.

As night started to fall, the dwarves gathered back to where they first had a fire the night before. I was contemplating on if I should ask if there was a room inside I could stay in. Obviously Kili wasn't in a good mood, so trying to sleep next to him again probably wasn't in my best interest. Food was brought out here this time. I don't know how much longer I could just eat bread, fruit, and vegetables. This night I did not share wine, instead I drank water and ate my food in silence. Thorin and Gandalf both were missing from the group once more.

After finishing my food I read from my book of herbs again. It was marvelous, holding drawings of the plants and a description of what they can help with. Only a fourth of it I already knew from my grandmother, the rest was new to me. Maybe my mom was an elf and so was grandmother, she did look quite young.

Kili whom sat next to me elbowed me lightly, offering me something that he had just bitten off of.

"What is it," I asked before accepting it.

"Dried meat, go ahead," he nodded, "you can have the rest."

The meat was spiced like jerky, but tasted good either way. I thanked him quietly and continued to read from my book.

"What is that," he asked, pointing to the writing I made out of wet charcoal.

"This is English writing."

"It looks confusing."

"The elvish writing was confusing," I stated, "this way I can study from it. This here is what we call California Poppy in my time. 'Infuse it with water and it will make the drinker fall asleep.'"

He leaned in closely to watch what I was pointing to. For a while we sat by the firelight reading from my book, his arm draped around me lightly. Slowly I found myself curling into him like it was story time. We went through all the pages together, coming to the end where blank pages were for me to add things if I wanted.

"Show me how you write your name," his voice was soft in my ear. I printed my name clearly so that he could see. "Write my name."

I did the same for his not really knowing how it was spelt. So I simply wrote Kili out for him to see. The conversation around us grew into a mess that I stopped paying attention too, just background noise. My face rose so that I could look up at him. I felt his hand raise and play with my braid. "I am sorry about what Thorin did this morning. It was not right," he stated.

"It's fine," I murmured letting my head fall back against his shoulder as I shut the book. "I understand what he's saying."

Kili didn't respond, instead he wrapped me up in his arms and gave a soft squeeze. We rose together and moved to where we slept the night before. Without question I settled down next to him and did not fight it when his arm was thrown over me and pulling me to his chest.

"I do not know why you fight me Laurel," he sighed into my hair, "but for now I will allow you to fight me. Soon I will grow tired and not allow it."

Without our horses we were due to walk the rest of the journey. I made it a habit to stick to the back of the troop so that I didn't have to be anywhere near Thorin. Bilbo tended to float back and forth between the front and back to talk to me. If what he said earlier was true, then he was probably a distant cousin of some sort. It was odd to think that this world I was in was actually the _past_. There was nothing of this written in any books that I knew of.

By time we stopped for our first break I had to sigh in contentment. Never have I walked that much before in my life. It was very tiring.

Placed between Kili and Fili I did more work going through my book and checking the herbs that were packed in my bag. Most of them were dried and folded into cloth and tied. Some of the more rare things were placed in small glass vials of water, wrapped in cloth so they would not break.

Kili rose to disappear into the woods for a while. Once he was out of sight Fili elbowed me, glancing around at everyone and their positions.

"Tell me Lady Laurel, what do you see in my brother," he asked quietly, blue eyes alive with wonder.

It was one of the first times I actually looked at Fili. It was odd how the brothers were like complete opposites. Here is Fili the older brother with his long blonde hair, and _braided_ mustache and beard. Bright blue eyes that would make women weak at the knees. From what I have seen Fili was usually the more serious of the two.

Then there was Kili, the younger brother with long black hair and lack of actual beard. His light brown eyes were full of mirth and fun. His nose was formed perfectly with his cheeks to scream perfection. Just thinking of his scruff against my skin had me closing my knees as they quivered.

"I see a lot of things in him. Though he is usually in a light mood of fun and laughs, he can be serious. I always find he is kind and selfless," I thought aloud, "he is strong and fights well I've seen. He talks fondly of family and friends. Kili does have a way of charming me, and I do find him quite attractive."

Fili laughed, throwing an arm around my shoulder to pat my back. "Do not let him hear you say these things! He already thinks too highly of himself, you would only make it worse."

"Why doesn't he have a beard and mustache like you," I wondered.

"Ah, he was never fond of the longer hair. He is still young for a dwarf, as he grows older he will become accustomed to it and start his braiding."

I eyed the clasps that kept the braids of his mustache together, "I've seen men braid beards in my world, but never mustaches. Your clasps looks like the one Kili put in my hair."

"He braided your hair? Put one of his beads in it did he?"

My brows furrowed, I did know that braiding was very important to them. Braiding the hair of a dwarf woman surely meant something to them I figured. "Yes," I trailed off, fingering it once more.

In turn he pulled me closer, leaning in and whispering in my ear. It sent shivers down my spine unwillingly. It was just because of the fact that it was hot breathe on my ear, but startled me none the less.

"I'm sure you understand that braiding the hair of a dwarf maiden is meaningful," he started softly, "it shows that he is interested in you as a mate. Putting our family bead in the braid says he is very interested. It is bold considering Thorin forbade the relationship. You do look very lovely none the less."

A soft giggle left my lips, charming woman must run in the family. I looked up to see that Kili returned, he was standing next to Bilbo talking, starring daggers in my direction. Why on Earth would he be in a foul mood now? He was just fine this morning. The feeling of Fili retreating from my proximity sent off alarms in my head.

He thought Fili and I were probably flirting together. Shit.

Just as I was thinking of throwing off Fili's arm, he removed it himself, coughing and looking away awkwardly. Kili didn't return to us for the rest of our break and left for the front of the troop while we continued on towards what they called the Misty Mountains.

"Well," I sighed kicking a rock while Fili and I brought up the rear, "seems we've pissed him off."

"Nonsense," Fili waved away, playing with yet another knife I haven't seen on his person before, "he is just jealous at the moment. By the end of day he will be talking to you again."

"I hope so," I sighed, "he's one of the greater friends I have. Especially here. There is nothing to be jealous of."

The dwarf next to me nudged me with his elbow once more, pointing ahead of us, "I don't know about that. I find your company likeable, Ori, I think has taken a small liking to you as well.

"If I hadn't known about your attachment with my brother I would find an attachment to you I think. Do not worry about Kili, he usually has always been the jealous type. Though it is only the second time I have been the one he was jealous of."


	10. Pruned Gardens Brings Curious Deer

Fili explained to me of when Thorin told them they were the princes of Erebor, but Fili was the _crown_ prince. This meant that he was the first heir whereas his younger brother would be the second runner up. That day Fili experienced hatred from his brother for the only time in their lives. Although they were ten years apart they were inseparable, so the month of jealousy from the younger brother took a toll on their relationship.

A bird called above from the trees. In one fluid motion I drew my bow and notched an arrow trying to be mindful to my companion and not hit him at all. With much effort I tried to mimic the call, surprising myself at how it came across very well. The bird shot out from the trees, larger than I had thought. Lining the tip of the beautiful arrows I had, I released and prayed that I had anticipated the flight of the bird correctly.

Greatness filled me as the bird was struck and it started to fall from the sky. It was up ahead more, so it would land before we reached it.

"Did you just shoot a bustard," Bombur called from ahead looking back.

"I dunno really, I shot a bird," I replied jogging ahead to try and find the prize.

In the foliage I could see that were was distress through the leaves. It took a moment, but I found the animal laying in the bottom of a small hill. It wasn't the largest bird around, maybe fifteen pounds if I was lucky, but it was some meat to eat.

With one step I started to fall into the ground below me.

"Son of a bitch!"

The scream ripped through me as I felt pain go through my ankle and then the rest of my body as I tumbled down. I halted to a stop next to the dead bird, breathe coming to me in short gasps as I tried to regain it. In the distance I could hear muttering and the sound of thudding boots. In moments Bofur, Nori, Fili and even Kili were above me and looking at the scene.

"What happened," Kili muttered breathlessly.

"Tripped on something, fell. Hurt my ankle I think," I closed my eyes and I began to set up. Once I was able to stand up, I attempted to put pressure on my foot. Instead pain stabbed all around. "I twisted it, its gunna swell, damnit!"

Nori started to poke at the bird, checking to see if it were truly dead. When he found it to his liking, he picked it up and looked it over some more. "It won't be much," he chuckled, "but it is better than bread and vegetables! Good shot lass!"

He and Bofur ran back up the hill, yelling about the catch. The brothers turned to follow. The limp that I acquired left me struggling to get up the hill we came from, I actually slid backwards a few times. Fili stopped with a sigh, giving me a look over his shoulder and gestured to his back, "Jump on Lady Laurel, I will assist you to the top."

I saw Kili's back straighten, but he did not turn backwards to see me climb his brother's back. Fili was not helping in this battle of jealousy. It was awkward to say in the least when his hands grasped just under my knees and hike me up higher on his shoulders. I grasped them in front of me, trying not to squeeze my thighs around him.

Once we returned to the group, we found them to be sitting and starting a fire. "We will rest here for the night and continue in the morning," Thorin stated, throwing another look of distain my way. The guy grinded my gears.

Bombur had the bird plucked and beheaded, he was working on cutting the meat and slicing it up. By the looks of the slices he was evenly making, there would be enough for everyone but not enough to fill the pits of our bellies.

I was set on one of the logs that was pulled close to the fire. Toeing off my boot, I looked at the swollen ankle. It would be better in the morning when we were ready to leave. "Wish I would have saw a deer instead," I muttered, "rather hurt myself over that than some skinny bird."

The chuckles and laughs that Fili produced were always deep and full of mirth. Almost like a father it seemed. Kili's were much more child-like and pure excitement. Occasionally they turned sultry. Sometimes they slipped into a deep sensual laugh, those were nice. The dwarf in question rose from the opposite end of the log and snatched his bow off the ground, trudging into the forest.

"Where is he off too," I muttered. Ori whom took a seat next to me shrugged.

The stew was done shortly, everyone tucking in and eating earnestly. Gandalf ate quickly and rose, "Thank you for the find Laurel, but I must be off to attend to something quickly. I will meet back with the company on the other side of the mountain in a few days."

No one said anything, just because from what I could tell was Gandalf left and came back frequently. Night soon fell and Kili had yet to return.

"Is anyone going to go look for him," I asked his brother, "what if something happened to him?"

"He is probably hunting," he responded simply, "or he is waiting for you to follow him for a quick romp."

I choked on the stew, "E-excuse me?"

The blond erupted into laughs once more, patting me on the back to assist me with my choking. Just as tears threatened to spill over my cheeks from the harshness of the stew going down my windpipe, I saw Kili emerge from the woods, pulling something behind him.

"Durin's beard," Fili muttered, rising to get a better look.

Behind Kili was a large animal, and once he got closer to the fire I was able to see it was one of the largest bucks I ever laid my eyes on.

"Oh he's pruning himself alright," Dwalin chuckled from across the fire.

"Pruning," I asked confused.

"It's the process of a dwarf making himself more presentable for mating," Fili muttered as Kili drew closer. "He is going to present you with the deer, he expects you to prepare it."

"Why," I muttered back.

I did not receive my answer though. Instead Kili was before me, already dragged the beast of a buck and dropping its hind legs. "When you're done Bombur will cook it."

No other words were said. Instead he crossed to the other side of the fire and stared intently at myself.

"He is proving that he is more suit for you. You said you wanted deer," Fili laughed poking the dead animal, "so he brought you back the biggest one I have ever seen, showing he can provide. Normally he would cook it after you prepare it, but Bombur makes everything taste better."

"Has anyone got a rope," I asked. I got a lot of head shakes and 'no's.

Of course.

Pulling out the dagger I was given, I slipped to the ground to sit in front of the animal. I would have to make the best of it I suppose. The dagger was sharp and made it easy to cut into the belly, but not too deep so that I didn't cut the intestines. It was messy to say the least, I had to keep scooting to keep from getting drenched in the blood. Fili handed me leather ties so that I could tie essential parts closed to keep the meat pristine.

"If you look at him," Fili whispered lowly, "he is stroking his beard. He would normally be braiding it to show its thickness and length, but since he does not have much length that will not do him much good.

"Soon he will probably end up braiding his hair for the same reason, and eventually he will remove his shirt to show his body to you so you can see his strength."

"Dear lord," I muttered, "jealous barbarians."

I struggled when it came to cutting the sternum, but when I put my weight into it I was able to get it all the way through. Next I had to remove the skin, cringing because it was my least favorite part. Fili attempted to help me move the carcass so that I could remove the skin on the opposite side, but I nudged him away. Shortly after I heard a soft growl, my eyes darting up to find Kili bent over with his fingers in his hair, glaring at his brother. Each of the dwarves were talking quietly, watching me as I worked.

"If the maiden needs help with the dressing of the animal," Fili continued after he backed away, "the dwarf that presented it should help. He sees me trying to help you, which he takes it as me trying to help provide for you."

Jesus, they _were_ fucking barbarians.

"We won't all be able to eat all of this thing," I muttered, "so we'll just eat half of it I suppose. It won't last through the night anyway, it will spoil."

I started to cut out steaks. They were big steaks, enough to have one or sometimes two for each of us. Bombur rose and waddled over to me to take five or six steaks at a time, rinsing them with a couple of water pouches they had. Once all the steaks I cut out were taken and cleaned, I wiped at my forehead with my wrist, probably smearing blood everywhere. I dared look at Thorin to try and determine his mood. It was then he decided to stand and speak.

"The Halfling fed us earlier, and thanks to Kili we were fed again, tonight we feast like kings," he roared in cheer. The rest of the dwarves shouted as well, each rising to thump Kili on the back. His dark brown eyes never leaving my form, raking over all the aspects.

"I want the antlers," I told him plainly as he looked at me.

Surprise didn't take me when he rose and borrowed Dwalin's axe, tossing it over one shoulder and pulling the deer by one leg over to the side of our camp site. He returned within ten minutes, presenting me with the top half of the scull and twelve-point rack. I set it aside and watched as he disappeared with the deer carcass.

"Must have really made him jealous," his brother laughed once more. "Have never seen him pruning before."

When he returned, he grabbed a plate from Bombur and a steak, kneeling before me and handing me the plate. "Thank you," I whispered, picking up the warm meat with my bare hands and started to tear into the flesh. A soft smile tugged on the corners of his lips, he rose and returned with another plate of his own; and pushed his brother from the spot next to me to take the seat.

The group—and even myself—burst into a round of laughter. The tension was finally gone, and everyone started to talk again as if nothing ever happened.

"Are you done pruning yet brother," Fili slapped him on the back.

The steak was marvelous, one of the best deer I had ever eaten. It was juicy and cooked just the way I liked it. I felt as though I was a mess, because the juices dribbled down my chin, not to mention I was covered in blood. The plate sat next to me, and I sighed in contentment.

Kili bent down, slipping his arms around my knees and back, "Come along now little doe," he muttered, "I will take you to clean up."

"Little doe," I laughed softly in question.

Since night had fallen, soreness started to creep in and tried to drag me to sleep. All the walking and the hour it took to prepare the deer had me almost exhausted. As Kili carried me bridal style through the trees, I released another content sigh and let my head fall back against his shoulder.

"You had nothing to be jealous of," I muttered, pulling on the large braid he placed in his hair. A scoff left him. "I am serious. It's your brother of all people, I would never do that to you."

We arrived at a smaller stream, Kili kneeling down to set me at the edge of it. He ripped a piece of fabric from this shirt and wet it before bringing it up to my face. The ice cold water had me shivering, but grateful for the wakeup. I didn't want to fall asleep before we got back to the camp. Once my face and neck were cleaned of blood and leftover deer, he attempted to try and wipe the blood from my clothes.

"Don't worry about it," I took the rag from his hands and continued to wipe my own. "And stop pruning or whatever they called it, I can clean myself."

"I apologize," he muttered, "I just saw Fili and you laughing and smiling with his arm around you—I just saw red. Then he carried you on his back…"

The moonlight lit the trees and shimmered off the creek, all the stars and beautiful hues of blue and purple amazing me. Kili kicked his feet above the edge of the creek in tune with my own.

With a sigh I crawled into his lap so I sat astride, throwing my arms around his waist. "You don't ever have to think of that of me," I sighed, "I just don't know if I can give you what you want Kili."

"What is it you think I want?"

I had the hinting suspicion that sex was one of the things, but I would not say it was the only thing. Kili may have chased a lot of elves, but through the years he's come to care for me at least as a friend. As of late I could tell that it ran deeper than just friendship, or a quick fuck.

"For this thing between us to progress," I murmured, eyes trying to find his own for confirmation of what I said.

"This is true," he murmured, smile evident while he cupped my face, "not just physically Laurel, I want everything."

"I don't know if I can give you everything."

"Can I at least have something for now," he asked breathlessly.

If it made him happy I suppose. With a small nod I threaded my fingers through his braid, tilting his head to mine so that I could taste his lips. The last and only kiss we shared was heated and hurried, not even _real_. This time I was determined to make it last and mean something.

Just as I remembered his lips were soft and velvety against my own, but _real_. It was a felling I would love to feel all over my body. His one hand grasped my hip to pull me closer while the other fingered my hair as well. A jolt of pleasure came over me when his slanted mouth open, tongue seeking out my own. The first touch of it tangling with mine had me moaning softly.

Kili grunted, hands leaving my hair and picking me up completely to throw each of my legs around his waist. At this position I could feel the hardness in his pants pressed up against my bottom. I kissed him back with more heat, my lips pushing back harshly as I pulled his head closer to my own. Every movement was pleasure spiking right to my core.

One hand fisted in my hair and yanked my head backwards so his lips could attack my neck. A louder moan ripped through me, coming out as a mewl at the last second. Teeth started to nip at my neck while his other hand slipped over and unknowingly undid the buttons of my vest. Another gasp left me when his hand encased my clothed breast. It felt good, too good.

Finally we were both making noises of pleasure, his hand fondling me while I took the time to kiss his neck and experiment biting him as well. In moments we were rocking into one another, the best jolt of pleasure I ever felt going right to my core.

"Oh Kili," I moaned, "too much."

His hands moved from my breast and hip to cup either side of my face where he pulled me into another soft kiss.

"Thank you little doe," he panted, "that was glorious. I will have prune around you more often."


	11. Easily Broken, Easily Fooled

**_Laurel_**

We were so close to the Misty Mountain that Thorin demanded we find refuge in it the following night. Once we actually reached the top of the mountain, it started to storm heavily. Normally I would pay no mind to a storm but it was chilly and the wind was blowing everything around like crazy. It was literally raining sideways.

Kili was in front of me while Bilbo was behind me, Fili following. The brothers were worried about each of us, so they were trying to ensure nothing would happen.

The world started to shake around us like an earthquake. Bilbo slipped due to the rain, almost falling over the edge of the ridge we were on if it were not for Fili and I grabbing onto his pack.

"We've got to find shelter," Thorin bellowed over the gust and storm.

I second that notion. We started to trudge on when something enormous caught my eye, soaring through the air just above us. "Is that a piece of boulder," I wondered softly. It crashed against the mountain above us, everything shook once more and we all leaned back into the mountain for support.

"This is no thunderstorm," Balin cried out, "it's a thunder battle!"

On the opposing mountain in front of us I could see it shake as well. Something was moving; _coming apart from the mountain_. It was larger than anything I had seen before, if I had a word for it I would say it was a giant. The creature was make out of the rocky edges of the mountain. It staggered to a standstill stature before it leaned forward and wiggled another chunk of rock out.

"I'll be blessed," Bofur took a few steps forward, "the legends are true. Giants! Storm giants!

The giant threw the clump of mountain it had in it's hand and threw it in our direction. We all ducked, turning into the rocks behind us to try and face away from any on coming destruction.

Tremors traveled through my feet and into my bones. When I looked down I could see the ground beneath me was cracking and tearing apart. My eyes looked up to see Kili finding out the same thing. "Laurel," he called, offering me his hand. Before I could even think about accepting his hand Fili had grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me away from danger.

The look of pure terror his eyes screamed across the chasm in from of me was heart retching.

Equally divided, the group was staring at the other side in horror. We were being separated.

Everything seemed to transpire in slow motion. The piece of mountain Fili, Bilbo, Ori, Nori, Bombur, Dwlain and myself were on was actually a giant. We moved when it moved almost making me sick to my stomach from the motion.

I didn't know where we started or where we ended.

Suddenly another part of the mountain was coming up close and fast. Preparing myself I took a stance and waited for the impact.

Like a car crash we were thrown. I collided with the others, trying to bite back my groan of discomfort. In seconds the other group came to us, laughing with glee that we were reunited.

"Everyone alright," Balin asked helping up some. I accepted the hand that Bofur gave me. In turn I helped up Ori.

"Everyone, this way," Thorin declared once more as we followed him into a crevice of a cave.

Inside it was dry, and we were able to light a candle that Oin had stashed away for such occasions. Our leader stated it would be best to stay for the night and wait out the storm before departing the mountain. Soon everyone found a spot on the sandy cave floor and rested, falling asleep.

I was about to join them in the land of sleep, before I felt something land in front of my face.

A very large foot. Bilbo. He was heading towards the entrance to the cave carrying his bag. I had to detangle myself from Kili before raising and trying to tip toe around everyone.

"Bilbo," I whispered, "what are you doing?"

"Leaving."

My brow furrowed in confusion, "Why?"

"Elrond said I could stay in Rivendell until I am ready to return home. It is no secret that Thorin is not fond of me," he looked around everywhere but myself, "of us."

"That may be true, but it doesn't matter none the less. You agreed to help them."

"Thorin could not care less if I left or not," he muttered, "you could come with me."

Back to the beautiful place we just left? That would not be something I would oppose to, but my head turned, seeking out the black haired archer that slept so easily in the middle of the night. "I can't," I whispered. I only had just found him, I could not just abandon him.

"Thorin already forbade anything between the two of you," he whispered, taking a step forward to grasp my arm. "Why be somewhere where you are not welcome? Why continue on to this journey knowing that you would have to turn around and come live with me anyway?"

"Elrond said the heart of the—"

The ground beneath us started to slowly sink, as if the sand were slipping through an hour glass. Just to my left was my pack and weapons. I made no haste as I grabbed them and positioned myself with all of them on. Bilbo was backing against the wall of the cave, dragging me with him. I then noticed the odd blue light emitting from his sword. "What the hell is that doing," I muttered as we were staring at it in awe.

Thorin jumped from where he lay, "Everyone, get up!"

Just as some of the dwarves started to wake, the floor beneath us opened up and swallowed them whole. I was standing on the wrong part about to fall through as well when Bilbo grasped me and pulled me back.

"Oh no," I moaned, "they are all gone." The floor slowly started to rise again and closed as if nothing had even happened.

"Drats," Bilbo muttered as he started to pace around. "We can't leave them here either."

"Alright let's try to see if we can find them."

We walked around for what seemed like hours. One walkway led to another and that led to a turn around. It was like a stupid maze. I always hated mazes. Deep in my chest I worried of Kili, but I knew he was more than capable of taking care of himself. He could take better care of himself than I could take of myself. Right now I needed to focus on taking care of Bilbo.

Finally we came to a dead end that dropped off into a pit.

"Maybe we should go down there," I whispered.

"Are you mad? Of course not. We don't know where it goes or anything!"

"Exactly! It could go to where the others are at," I muttered, "if it doesn't then we can try and climb back up, it isn't too far of a jump, maybe ten feet."

Without more preamble I jumped into the darkness and landed softly on my feet. Soon after Bilbo followed me. It was a pit indeed filled with what looked like a graveyard. There were all sorts of bones lying about. Some skeletons were complete and others were odds and ends. Immediately chills traveled from the nape of my neck to the balls of my feet. Laying in the middle was another creature that I did not want to look at.

It looked like a mini troll if anything. It's skin was also gray and leathery, long pointed hair, but skinny and lying motionless.

"Do you think it's dead," I whispered.

Muttering could be heard from a distance. I quickly grabbed Bilbo and dragged him to hide with me in the shadows of a rock. A smaller creature, the size of Bilbo and I, came burling out of the shadows across from us. It half walked half slouched as it came up on the creature laying on the floor. Out of the corner of my eye I could make out the bright blue illumination of Bilbo's sword.

"Yes," a gravely hiss of a voice called out. My attention focused on the odd small creature that was just barely covered in a loin cloth. "We eats tonights."

It rounded on the other fallen creature, grabbing it by the legs and started to huff and groan as it dragged the other across the floor. Once it was out of sight we rose from our crouch. Bilbo was the first to move. He approached the entrance where the two things disappeared from. He crouched down and lifted a golden ring from the floor and gazed at it in the little light of the cave.

"Did that thing drop it," I asked. He nodded while he ran his thumb over it.

When I held out my hand to inspect it, Bilbo hesitantly dropped it into my palm. I threw him an odd look at his pause. Without even thinking I slipped it onto my middle finger, feeling the cool metal ice my entire hand. Breath left me in a rush, causing me to gasp and feel the chill all over. Everything around me lost saturation and was almost like a dreamlike state. Bilbo jumped erratically and looked all over. "Laurel," he whispered hurriedly, "where did you go?"

My brow furrowed, "I'm right here."

The Hobbit's eyes worked back and forth without focusing in one spot. Finally I tore off the ring, taking another gasp of breath as everything started to settle in correctly as it had been. Once more Bilbo jumped.

"Did the ring make you invisible," he asked astounded.

I shoved it back into his hands with the chill still fresh in my spine. "Take it," I muttered, "there is something not right about that thing. I don't want to be near it."

It was true. Something about the ring was harsh and made it so I couldn't breathe. I was suffocating with it on. Something to make you invisible? Even in my world that was a dangerous power to have, just because it would drive the wearer to near madness. I watched as Bilbo pocketed the golden beauty. We followed the dark path that we intended to with caution.

We came to a larger opened area. Rocks ranged to all different heights, some reaching to the ceiling and others so small I could pick them up and toss them. As we drew closer into the center of the cave we heard the thing speak again.

"The cold hard lands, they bites our hands, they gnaws our feet. The rocks and stones, they're like old bones, all bare of meat. Cold as death, they have no breath, it's good to eat!"

That thing was going to eat the other. A chill embraced my spine while I peered at the short creature. It used a rock to bash the head of the other one. A soft gasp escaped me. The thing turned on the spot looking in our direction. Bilbo pulled me back to the safety behind the rock. I peeked around the corner, only to find that it had disappeared.

As I turned to Bilbo, I screamed as two bright brilliant eyes starred at us just over his shoulder.

"Bless us and splash us, Previous! There are _two_ meaty mouthfuls," it screamed out joyfully. Instinctively my hand reached for my sword, yanking it free and holding it in front of me. The shake that happened in my hands showed in the blade as it wavered before me.

"Ah. Gollum. Gollum. Ack!"

"Stay back," I muttered, "come any closer and I'll cut you open."

Bilbo did the same only his sword was shaking more noticeably than mine.

"It's got an elfish blade, but one is not all Elfs. What is thems, Precious?"

Bilbo lowered his sword, but I left mine high and raised—ready to swing it if need be. "My name is Bilbo Baggins," he offered, "and this is my friend Laurel Took."

"Bagginses? Tookies? What is a Bagginses and Tooksies, Precious?"

"I am a Hobbit from the Shire," he continued, "and Laurel is Elvish, Hobbit, and human…from a far away place."

The thing approached again leering at us from under his lack of lashes. "Oh! We like Goblinses, batses, fishes! We have nots tried Hobbitses, elfies, or humans," it screeched.

"Get the hell back," I snarled holding up the sword, "I told you I'd cut you wide open!"

Bilbo opened his palm in terms of offering peace, "We don't want any trouble, we just want to get out of here."

The thing started to mumble to itself and answer its own questions.

"I don't know what your game is—" Bilbo started.

"Games! We loves games, doesn't we Precious? Can we play games, please yes please?"

Games? Bilbo hesitantly answered before the thing held up it's hand and started to speak slowly and without its odd grammar. "What has roots as nobody sees, is taller than trees. Up, up, up it goes, and yet, never grows."

Riddles? Shit. I turned to Bilbo hoping he had a better idea of an answer than I. Riddles were never really my area of expertise. I knew some of the basic ones, but nothing like this.

"The mountain," Bilbo chuckled.

The thing laughed, and suddenly screamed about killing and jumped towards us. "No," I urged pointing my sword at its throat again, nearly touching it. "We want to play! Riddles! If we win, you show us the way out."

"Yes, yes," it urged on, "what if the Hobbites and the she thing loses? If it loses we will eats it."

The way that it said it so simply and easily I gapped openly. Damn filthy creature there was no way. If it even came close to us I'll gut it.

So it began. Each one of them going back and forth with riddles of their own. At one point it was almost clear that the thing wasn't going to know the answer. Sadly it answered with a laugh of it's own.

I fidgeted when it was Bilbo's turn and he was almost unable to answer. The creature crept closer and demanded that we had lost.

"Time! The answer is time," Bilbo sighed out relieved.

"Last questions. Last chances. And the she thingsie will askes it. If we guesses it, we eats thems," it whispered out in glee.

"Erm," I grumbled as I wavered my eyes to Bilbo. Hopefully this thing would not know the answer. "What gets broken without being held?"

The thing fidgeted now. Time seemed to drag on as it walked back and forth, looking around and mumbling to itself as it tried to form an answer. "Time is up," Bilbo stated looking all the more important and satisfied. "What's your answer?"

"Eggsies?"

"No," I smiled also satisfied with myself, "a _promise,_ like you promised to show us the way out if we won. Where is it? Time to go."

Suddenly the thing smiled, reaching under it's loincloth for something. Instead it frowned, jumping around frantically. "Where is it? It's gone! NO!"

The ring. I grabbed Bilbo's elbow to discreetly pull him away. "We gotta go, now."

While the thing was running amuck all over looking on the ground Bilbo and I started at a run to find the nearest opening in the web of the cavern. We were gasping and huffing while we jogged down an entrance. In a crack at the end of the path I could see the dwarves running into a light.

"Bilbo! There! The company," I pushed him forward. We just barely managed to squeeze through. The sunlight blinded me as we stumbled down a large hill. We lost the dwarves, but since we were out of the mountain it shouldn't be difficult to find them.


	12. Home Is Where the Heart Is

_**Kili**_

The erratic beating in my chest did not still. Breath was coming and going so quickly I was sure to faint if I did not slow. Throughout all the mayhem I worried for Laurel. I did not see her while we were being corralled before the Great Goblin, nor did I see her as we fought our way out of the mountain and into the sunlight.

"Five, six, seven, eight…Bifur, Bofur…that will be ten… Fili, Kili….that will make thirteen. Where is our hobbit," Gandalf called strongly through the small meadow we were in.

"Where is Laurel," I gasped, eyes still scanning the surrounding area in hopes of seeing her.

"Damn the halflings! Now they are lost," Dwalin yelled in anger.

"Where did anyone last see them," Gandalf asked.

"In the cave," Thorin muttered darkly. "They were both long lost since they joined us in this journey. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since he stepped out of his door!

"As for Miss Took," he chuckled darkly, "he sought to take her with him, for company. He knew as well as _all_ of us, _neither_ of them belonged here. They are long gone."

Rage filled me to the brim, almost bubbling out over the edges and steam leaving my ears in earnest. Just as I meant to take one step forward, Fili firmly grabbed my shoulder to hold me back. A subtle shake of his head kept me in check.

"No they aren't."

We all turned to see Bilbo standing before us, covered in dirt and looking just as tired as we. Just behind him Laurel stood holding her side and breathing heavily. A sigh of relief left me, peace finding me soon after. I could not beat the smile off my face. She sure was able to take care of herself. In seconds I was embracing her, holding her close and breathing in her familiar floral scent.

"Bilbo Baggins and Laurel Took! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life," Gandalf beamed down at them.

With Laurel still in my arms I murmured softly for her to hear, "Neither have I. Thought they had captured you."

Fili chuckled and patted Bilbo on the back before offering a soft squeeze to Laurel's shoulder, "How on earth did you get past the goblins?"

"What does it matter? They are both back unscathed," Gandalf chuckled, trying to ease the tension.

I spared a glance at uncle, only to confirm my suspicion of his anger. If he had it his way neither Laurel nor Bilbo would be here, and he did not like my ease of relationship with the woman.

"It matters," Thorin bellowed, "I want to know, why did you both come back?"

Bilbo planted his hands on his hips as he rocked back and forth on his feet. "Look, I will not act as if I do not know your true feelings for me. You have clearly voiced them from the start. It is true that I miss Bag End. I do miss my hearth and my books, my armchair and my garden. That's where I belong. That's home.

"That is why I came back, cause you don't have one, a home. It was taken from you unrightfully. But if I can help you take it back, I will. And Laurel," he gently grabbed her elbow to bring her forward to Thorin's eyes, "helped me realize this. She may be human, elvish, and part Hobbit, but she doesn't dare act as if she is truly a burden. She did not ask to be thrown into this mess, she merely appeared. She was determined to find you _all_ , not just Kili. I know I am grateful for her, because if she were not here we might all have been in someone's supper. If anything she is loyal."

With each word every dwarf dropped their head in shame. It was truthful, the words he spoke. I also had my doubts about the small Hobbit. What he spoke of Laurel made my heart light, she was someone to be grateful for.

A familiar howl caught in the wind, sliding down the mountain a little close for comfort.

"Out of the frying pan," Thorin muttered.

"…and into the fire! Run," Gandalf yelled.

Suddenly everyone was moving with one another, darting down the mountain as fast as we could. I clutched Laurel's small hand within my own to pull her along with me. The running seemed to go on for ages, and at times I had to urge her to keep running.

"Kili," she whined, "I can't go on, my legs are liable to break."

At the back of the company we lagged behind. "We cannot stop," I urged, pushing her forward evermore. "We will be killed. Keep running, I will not be parted from you again."

Overtime the sun started to set. When the moon took over the sky is when the first warg jumped into our sights. It snapped its jaws at Bilbo, but he was quick to put his sword up in defense. The beast lunged right into the blade and sagged with death. Laurel snatched her hand back to pull her own sword out for battle. There was no choice but to keep running. Unfortunately our journey of escape came to an end as we approached a cliff.

"Up into the trees," Gandalf roared over the oncoming wargs cries.

I watched marveled as Laurel sheathed her sword and ran _up_ the tree, where she grasped the branch and lifted herself into the safety above. I followed her into the same tree. My eyes sought out Fili in the tree next over to us, my spirit resting slightly knowing my brother was somewhat safe as well.

In moments the pack of wargs and orcs alike were upon us below.

The largest white warg had a pale white orc on its back, the sight causing an eerie feeling to settle in my spine.

Uncle's voice bellowed from another tree, outraged, "Azog!?"

Azog laughed, showing off his arm covered in blade, "Do you smell it? That is the smell of fear. I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain."

The orcs eyes raked over all the trees, nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air. He pointed to uncle and then to my tree, "Spare the female and son of Thrain. They are mine. Kill the others!"

I could smell my own fear at his words. All the wargs jumped to life, scrabbling at the trees to attempt to climb higher into them to reach us. The one we were in started to shake and bend. A small scream escaped Laurel as we slowly were falling sideways still in the tree. When I looked down I saw that it was the tree that was being pushed and uprooted. "You have to jump into the next tree," I yelled. Her hesitance angered me, so I did not hesitate myself to snag her up into my arms. "Fili," I bellowed capturing his attention.

"Sorry little doe," I whispered. Without a response I threw her in the air towards my brother, following her moments after. Once I was in the next tree I could see the previous on the ground covered in wargs. It started all over again with the tree we were in. Laurel did not hesitate to jump this time. The process repeated itself until we were in the last tree in the cliff with the entire company.

A ball of fire flew from above and landed in an explosion in the mist of wargs. Laurel laughed, and I watched as she caught what seemed to be a pine cone on fire. Taking stance on the branch she threw the cone right at Azog's warg, hitting it in the eyes. It wailed and flailed it's head back and forth. Soon more fire cones flew through the air and into the battlefield below. Shortly after our cheers of success we were crying out as the tree started to fall towards the edge of the cliff. Some dwarves were trying hard to hold on with Gandalf's assistance.

Thorin rose from the base of the tree, drawing his sword as he approached Azog. With a familiar battle cry he stormed the ground right at his enemy, who was welcoming him with open arms. Once he was upon Azog, Thorin rose his sword high, only to have it knocked from his hand. My throat closed, breath not finding me.

Next his shield flew from his grasp to scatter against the cliff floor. Uncle was then hit forcefully in the face with Azog's large menacing mace, throwing him to the ground. The white warg snatched uncle on command, snapping him back and forth like a rag doll. He was flung onto the edge of the cliff.

"Bring me his head," Azog sneered.

Ice filled my chest once more.

"No," Laurel whispered suddenly standing. Instinctively my hand tried to find hers and pull her back down, but she snatched it away. Suddenly her lips were on my own for a brief moment, "I'm so sorry Kili."

Before I could try to comprehend what was happening she was up and jumping down the trunk of the tree with her bow brandished. Her arrow finding the head of an orc stepping forward towards Thorin. Heart pounding erratically in my chest I rose to follow her, watching as Bilbo did the same.

Quickly she threw her bow back over her shoulders to grasp her sword and swing it out as she stood over Thorin. The orc she just killed lay at her feet as more started to close in. "If you want his head," she growled fiercely, "you will have to have mine first."

Azog laughed, pointing his bladed arm at her, "Leave her for me. She is fierce. I will break her."

A roar tore itself from my throat at his words. My own sword out, I sliced everything in my path warg and orc alike. In efforts to reach her I had to take my eyes of off her.

Soon I could hear the cheers of other dwarves that rose to the challenge. There was fire on the cliff side, screams and hollers of pain and battle. All I could think of was killing as many monsters as I could so I could reach Laurel and help her.

The caw of a bird drew my attention behind us. Dori and Ori had slipped from the grasp of Gandalf, but were soaring into the night sky on the back of an eagle. A hoarse laugh escaped me while I watched members of the company one by one run to eagles. One snatched me out of the air with it's claws. My eye searched for my fiery haired Laurel, watching as she heaved Throin into the grasp of the claws of another eagle. She turned and slashed at yet another orc. When I looked around, there were no more eagles turning around for her, just the last lone eagle waiting for Bilbo to scramble onto it's back.

No. She could not be left behind. As we flew farther away my heart ached at the sight. The eagle Bilbo was one rose into the air away from the cliff, to dive and circle around again. Laurel sheathed her sword, sprinting with speed I've never seen her use to launch herself off the cliff and onto the back of the eagle that circled back.

A cheer left me full heartedly, soon the majority of the company following my lead.

Time passed as we road on the backs of our saviors. I thought about everything that just transpired. Even with all the negative things that uncle uttered about Laurel, she stepped to defend him. She could have died.

Finally the eagles started to land on another mountain side. Fili grabbed me by the shoulders and embraced me before ushering me over to Thorin. We leaned over him as Gandalf whispered something to our unconscious uncle. In moments his eyes were opened, trying to get up on his elbows.

"Where is she," he muttered, groaning as he rose to his feet. We all turned to find her slipping off of the back of the large bird onto her knees. Even with the long ride she was panting and trying to get to her feet. Thorin stormed over to her, starring down with a fury in his eyes.

"I said you do not belong amongst us," he muttered. "Why did you jump to become my shield?"

Laurel sighed, pressing her hands into the earth and breathing softly. "Without you," she whispered, "none of these dwarves would stand a chance completing this journey. You're they're leader. I am not essential to this mission, I can offer a sacrifice for someone who is important. Whether he likes me or not."

How could she think that? Though she is not important to the journey she has offered amazing aid to it. Not to mention she is important to _me_. If something had happened to her in that fight just now I do not know how I would have moved on.

Thorin offered both his hands to her, in which she accepted, letting him lift her to her feet. Though his hands did not leave her, he placed each on each of her shoulders, "Thank you Lady Laurel. For your actions I am within your debt. You and Master Baggins both will be welcome in the halls of Erebor to come and go as you please. I was wrong, you do belong amongst us."

I was almost horrified to see him embrace her in a tight hug. Laurel awkwardly hugged him back. It was the most compassion I have seen uncle bestow upon anyone in ages. When he released her, she walked towards me with purpose, throwing her arms around me in another embrace. My hands found their way into her locks, squeezing the softness and pressing my nose into her hair once more. "You did well," I whispered, "just do not leave me like that again."

The softness of her cheek traveled across my rough chin, where I felt the softness of her lips press to my jaw.

The urge to pull her closer and kiss her properly raged in my veins, but died as Bilbo jumped quickly. "We need to keep moving. They will have gained closer on us by now," he whispered.


	13. By the Valar, If Only Dreams Were True

**_Kili_**

We traveled forward without haste. Though they were surely chasing us, we had enough of a lead to continue on without running. I could feel Laurel walking awkwardly behind me through our grasped hands. With difficultly I took my hand back to adjust my pack to wrap around my waist. "Climb on," I murmured, "I will carry you for a while."

When I stopped I felt her grasp my shoulders and start to hop onto my waist. Her legs wrapped around my hips, one underneath my pack, and her thighs squeezing tightly around me. The action and feel of her legs on me brought a smirk to my face. It was pleasant, and brought back fresh memories of how just a few mere days ago she was wrapped around me and kissing me with vigor.

A soft even sigh caressed my cheek. Her head had come to rest on my shoulder, and by the lack of pressure around my shoulders and hips, I could tell she had fallen asleep. Fili slowed down to match my pace, offering me a smirk at the sight of Laurel wrapped around me. "She must be tired," he murmured, "we have been running day and night. If you tire I will carry her for you."

Against my will my eyes turned to slits at his words. I have listened to Laurel tell me that there was nothing to be jealous of when it concerned my brother, but I could not help but feel it anyway. The thought of any one—dwarf, man, hobbit, elf—touching her in any way that was more than friendly had my blood boiling. Even that of my brother.

Fili sighed, "All harmless brother."

"I saw you looking at her… like I look at her," I mumbled off softly slightly saddened by the thought. It was not something I told Laurel. When her and my brother were talking, Fili gazed at her with satisfaction and appreciation. A look that said he wanted to _keep_.

Fili had the decency to look a little ashamed, a tint of red coating his cheeks. "I did for a moment," he uttered, "but it is difficult not to. She is very beautiful, even without a scruffy face. You have nothing to worry about. Even if I wanted to sweep her away from you, which I do not, I simply could not. Lady Laurel talks too highly of you."

After a while we stopped to fill our water pouches at a stream. Laurel did not wake as I laid her gently on the ground. The Hobbit offered to scout and see how far we were from the orc pack and if the Lonely Mountain was within our reach. I drank heavily from one pouch before retrieving one from Laurel's pack to fill it for her and refill my own. The rest of the company were sitting about near a very small fire in the rising sun.

"Kili."

Thorin's voice was always so serious and demanding. Just now it was soft and tired.

"Yaes uncle," I murmured, rising to meet him.

He sighs while he plopped down and hissed at his injuries. His next words threw me off guard, "We must talk about the girl."

"What about Laurel," I asked, eyes seeking out her slumbering form. Fili was sitting next to her drinking his water. I was curious to hear what Thorin had to say, seeing as he was so kind to Laurel just a while ago.

"I was wrong about her," he started looking a little lost, "she was brave and loyal, even to me who treated her unfairly. Anything that happens between the two of you, I cannot stop. A bastard child I cannot bless. A union between the two of you is something I wish to bless, but our brethren will not allow for it."

The words he spoke of were contradicting. It sounded as if he was okay with the idea of Laurel and I, but he hated it. "If you were not a prince," he huffed, "perhaps no comments would be made. The court of Erebor that would come would not tolerate this of a prince."

A snort tore through my nostril, "I do not care of what the _court of Erebor_ thinks. I care only for her and her safety. Once we take back the mountain and you are crowned a king formally, _you_ will be in control of whatever you wish, and the court will abide by it."

With those words I rose, taking guarded steps to the red-head's sleeping form only to rouse her from sleep. Confusion clouded her eyes as she started to wake, the limbs of her body begun to seize as she begun to tense. My hand found her cheek where my thumb rubbed just under her eyes, "It's just me little doe. We are resting, drink up."

The other hand that was holding her water skin up to her lips. Without attempting to raise her own hand, she leaned into me and closed her eyes once more as she drank heavily, every last drop. Fili offered to take the pouch and refill it.

Bilbo rushed into our clearing, huffing.

"How close is the pack," Dwalin urged.

"A couple of leagues, too close. That isn't all though," he gasped.

Gandalf rose pulling his staff up to its great height before looking around, "What is it Bilbo?"

"A bear, larger than any one I have ever seen."

The old wizard stood straighter, huffing as well, "There is a house, it is not far from here, where we might take refuge."

Thorin arrived closer with Fili at his heels. "Are they friend or foe," uncle asked hotly.

"Neither, he will hunt us or he will kill us."

The roar of an animal ripped through the forest. Laurel tensed from under me, hands pushing herself up from where she lay. "How far is the beast," she croaked.

"Just a bit closer than the orcs," Bilbo responded.

In seconds everyone was up, preparing for another run. Once on their feet and ready to move, we started out at a mild jog through the woods, Gandalf leading the company. Laurel had a look of determination set on her face as she kept pace with me at one side, Fili reacting much the same on my other.

This was no easy journey. First there were trolls and goblins and orcs, now there was a giant bear chasing us.

Once we cleared the forest we were running through an open meadow, in the distance there appeared to be a stone and wooden enclosure. "There! That is the house," Gandalf bellowed from the front of the front of the company. We were moving from a slower pace to a flat out run at the sight of the house hidden behind the walls. Each of the dwarves were huffing as their legs worked to reach the house faster.

The ground beneath us started to shake every other second. Another roar tore through the air around us, shaking even me to the bone. Laurel looked behind us and screamed softly, "Fucking shit!"

What did she see? I turned around to gaze at what she was scared of.

Standing at least ten feet tall—on all fours—was a ferocious dark brown bear, baring all of his sharp white teeth. Just behind us. I turned back around, ready to pick up my pace when I noticed Laurel was running almost as fast as a gazelle. Bombur was right behind her. They were the first to reach the gates of the enclosure. As soon as Bofur, the last dwarf was inside the enclosure we all started to push the gate door closed. A ruff snout and teeth growled at us through the crack attempting to get inside, but we were able to lock the door with the monster out.

"What _was_ that," Ori trembled from the ground.

All around us there were beautiful flowers and plants, each larger than I would have normally seen. There were also large animals coming closer to sniff at each and every one of us.

"That is our host," Gandalf gruffed as he started to go towards the moss covered house. "His name is Beorn, and his is a skin-changer."

Skin-changer? So that beast was actually a man that could change from the skin of man to the skin of bear when he saw fit? The idea sent chills down my spine.

"Sometimes he's a huge black bear, sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear," Gandalf laughed without humor, "is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However he is not fond of dwarves."

How incredibly fantastic. Run right into the den of the beast that does not like dwarves. At least the wizard, Bilbo, and Laurel might be spared.

"Rest for now," Gandalf sighed, "until tomorrow we are safe."

The company trudged into the house, finding that inside there was a stable of sorts without any horses or ponies. Just a lot of hay. Laurel went to one of the corners and lay on her side, tossing her pack out of her way along with her weapons. I followed her lead and left my pack and weapons next to hers. We had been running all day again, most of the company already drifting off to slight snores. My brother settled down next to me as well. Thorin and Gandalf spoke softly. By the rays of the sun that were filtering into the windows, it was probably a little past half of the day was gone.

I laid back against the hay with my arms stretched out behind me, letting the aches in my muscles take time to adjust to relaxing. Soon I was slowly drifting off to the sound of Laurel's even breathing.

The sound of a low moan and a kick to my leg woke me. The darkness covered the house we slept in, and a quick glance around let me know that the rest of the company were sleeping soundly. As my eyes settled on Laurel, I remember why I woke. She moved slightly, moaning low in her throat. The thrash of her head back and forth led me to believe that she was having a bad dream. I rested my hand on her hip, about to shake when she moaned softly again.

"Kili."

The way she said my name was similar to the night at Rivendell when I was kissing her neck earnestly.

A heat started to emit from my loins, blood pumping a little faster at the sound. So she was dreaming of me, and by the sounds of it, it was a very good dream. Why was I not dreaming with her? The more I thought about it, I have not dreamt of her since she arrived to Middle Earth.

Another moan rippled through her throat, but slightly louder. I feared she would wake the company, but at the same time I did not want to interrupt her _pleasant_ dream. Maybe it would give her the push she needed to embrace me in such a way when she woke.

Hay was grasped tightly in each of her hands at either side of her hips, which were thrusting upwards subtly.

My member grew with the sight, the ache in my loins came strongly as I fought the urge to run my hands all over her body. With all the members of the company sleeping just mere feet away, I could not try to do what I truly wanted.

There were countless nights where I stayed awake in my bed or on my roll thinking of her in inappropriate ways. Every time I imagined her naked, she was always on top of me or below me. Those nights were long and full of frustration as I always fulfilled my need. It irked me how some mere _girl_ of my night time dreams drove me to madness. My days were filled with her in my head and how she would love to have lived in my world. Sometimes I day dreamed of her there with me when I hunted and did chores, almost as if she were my imaginary friend.

"Oh Kili," she moaned more softly again, teeth catching her bottom lip as her hips made a larger thrust, "don't stop yet."

Feeling ashamed, one of my hands grasped myself through my trousers while the other hand hesitantly ghosted over her through her own. A soft gasp came from her as she thrashed her head to the side and her hips ground against my hand. With careful timely hand movements I rubbed her softly, my hand becoming hot with the heat she was emitting. The other hand of mine was just holding myself, I was fearful someone would wake and catch me in the act of doing anything more.

I moved the fingers at her core a little more swiftly in the same rhythm of her thrusting. Suddenly she seized upwards sharply before moaning once more her face scrunched up in ecstasy, lips forming a small 'o'. She then became limp, breathing heavily before rolling into me and snoring softly.

By Valar. Softly detangling myself so I did not wake her, I rose and cringed at the tenting of my trousers. I was going to be a while outside.


	14. Moonlight Hues

_**Kili**_

The sunlight found me in the morning. After I relieved myself to the image of Laurel quivering beneath me by my hand, I was able to go back and pull her to my body and sleep soundly. The rest of the company was already up, including Laurel. I stumbled through the house and came to find everyone seated along a long wooden table eating fruit and bread once more. I spied the russet haired maiden at the end, so I settled myself next to her and picked the grape out of her fingers with my lips.

She turned to me startled, I offered her a cheeky smile.

The shade of red that took over her face was something to laugh at.

Then she refused to look at me. A hairy man taller than Gandalf approached me and poured milk into a cup and set it before me. The look in his eyes was animalistic. "This is Beorn," Laurel whispered softly, "our gracious host."

"Thorin Oakenshield," his deep voice boomed across the large kitchen, "you need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?"

"Before the fall of Durin's Day, yes," Thorin replied curtly.

"There is still time," the skin-changer replied. "Your company should rest. If what Gandalf said is true, then you all have been running for a very long time. Trying to fight orcs will not be easy if one is not well rested.

"You may stay another night, and in the morn I will grant you the use of my ponies to get you to Mirkwood."

Once everyone was well fed, we ventured out into the enclosed lawn of Beorn. Laurel had still yet to speak to me properly, but spare me looks here and there with red cheeks. Perhaps she was embarrassed of the dream she was having of me the night before. Thinking about my response had me feeling a tad embarrassed myself. I had touched her intimately without her permission, and that was very foolish of me; though I could not help myself.

With my name on her lips and her hips shifting in such an erotic way, I had to do something to ease the ache I known she was facing.

From my seat beneath a hearty willow tree, I watched Laurel approach Thorin and Fili. She motioned to her sword and then their own. My brother nodded ecstatically and then pointed to myself in the distance. Pine eyes sought out my own before red painted her cheeks once more. The action brought a chuckle from the depths of my chest.

The day wore on, and I watched as my kin taught Laurel how to handle a sword and fight close combat. Even with her small stature and lighter weight, they showed her how to use her attackers' weight against himself.

The sword she was given was of elvish steel and light, so it soared through the air as she swung it at Thorin. Both he and Fili shouted instructions are her, occasionally stopping and physically showing her moves and attacks. Sweat piled off of each of them earnestly. I twiddled with my arrows, sharpening the tips of them as I watched from afar. Eventually Thorin clapped Laurel on the back, offering her a smile before he and Fili started to make their way to me. She stayed in the meadow and practiced her footwork and swinging her sword, sometimes tossing it and opting for her dagger.

"You have chosen well nephew," Thorin chuckled, "she learns well and can fight with her spirit. If I had not known better I would have thought she was part dwarf."

Bilbo also joined us in the waning sunlight, "Boern showed us a spring to bathe in. The rest of the company is already on the way there."

"Are you coming brother," Fili asked.

"I will go later," I whispered watching uncle walk away, "when there is no one else around."

A deep laugh came from him, "I thought you had your fill last night."

I threw a sharp look his way before glancing to see if anyone heard, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm surprised no one else woke at the sounds you were having her make," he spoke softly with mirth in his eyes. "Did you not leave to go do the same for yourself after?"

With an instant I jumped, rage filling me at my foolishness that someone else had heard Laurel. I should have just woken her like I planned, instead I let greed fill me. "It is not what you think," I muttered, "she was not even awake but merely dreaming."

"Dreaming," his eyes widened in surprise, "you were moving and hovering above her. You kicked me in your haste!"

"Do not speak a word to anyone," I hissed, "she will not even speak to me."

"You touched her while she slept," Fili hissed outraged.

My head hit the bark of the willow we were under, repeatedly of my own doing. "Yes," I muttered disgusted with myself, "you did not hear everything she was saying while she dreamed. It was hard to not do more than that. I am ashamed of myself."

Fili whispered somewhat harshly, "It is a trying time brother, I understand. In your position, I do not know what I would have done myself. Just do not do anything foolish like that again, especially without her consent."

Once he left I dropped back to the ground to watch Laurel more. Overtime she became tired and sat on the ground, soon after laying and kicking her feet in the air. It reminded me of the times that she would do that when we dreamed. Those times were simple and carefree without monsters and formalities.

Eventually the company came back through the woods, laughing and almost skipping. It was a long time before anyone bathed. I made quick work of going back into the house and grabbing a drying cloth of my own and a change of clothes. Fili offered me a bar of soap and directions to the spring down the path.

The moon hung boldly in the night sky, along with all the stars and colors that Laurel adored so much. It was a curved spring, I took to the far most side and hissed as the cooler water touched my bare skin. After a while it felt nice against my skin, easing the ache in my muscles. With the soap I washed the grime and sweat from my skin, my feet, and finally my hair. The feel of fingers working my scalp and nails digging the dirt up felt almost as good as me pleasuring myself.

At that thought my hand idly traveled down below the water and my waist.

"Thank you Bilbo."

I froze at the sound of Laurel's voice. What was she doing here? I started to move to the shoreline, ready to grab my dry cloth and clothing, but stopped afraid she would catch me. There was no reason for her to be mad at me for being here, seeing as I was here first.

Due to the curve of the spring, I was able to remain behind some foliage as I watched Bilbo walk off into the night. Even having a perimeter of stone and wood, Beorn had a majority of land and a forest surrounding the spring. Laurel started to remove her tunic.

At this I started to turn, ready to dress and flee back to the house.

Then I saw the dark red gash that lined her side.

Rage filled me at the thought of one of my kin actually striking her with a sword. I did not see either of them hit her with their blades. Fili had told me not to do something foolish, and watching Laurel undress from the shadows seemed very foolish.

Under her tunic she wore that odd small piece of fabric around her bosom that I had seen a handful of times. She turned again revealing various hues of brown, black, and grey that coated her skin in an image. A wispy buck. When she pushed down her trousers, I saw another image of various colors. A large red dragon. They were the most intricate and beautiful tattoos I had ever seen. The undergarments that covered her bottom were also small and thin.

As she started to push them off I looked away and waited. After looking back I saw she was in the water from the waist down, her arms covering her chest as she shivered and emerged herself more. Finally she took a deep breath and dove under only to rise up moments later chattering her teeth. I was hard just seeing her partially bare.

Feeling like a perverse fool in the dark, I started to make my way towards her.

"Laurel," I murmured softly.

She jumped, covering herself as best she could and sinking into the water some more. "Kili," she hissed, eyes raking over my nude form. "What are you doing? I'm bathing!"

A chuckle left myself as I attempted to get closer, she moved backwards some. "I was here bathing well before you showed up," I offered my hand, almost close enough to touch her. In the depths of the water, one could not see me from just below my chest and downward. Laurel was crouching so that all I could see was her head.

"Will you please leave so I can wash myself," she hissed, face turning red once more. My eyes never left her's, watching as they traveled from my wet hair down to my bare chest.

I finally grasped her cheek, taking another step closer, "Why have you been avoiding me?"

As the words left my mouth, she turned away from me so that all I could see was the back of her head.

"I haven't been avoiding you," her voice came out softly, "I just…have been busy."

"Avoiding me," I laughed as my hands found her shoulders, thumbs working into her blades. "Your face turns red when you look at me. What has happened? You can tell me. I never shall judge you nor will I be angry."

After a moment she turned to face me, looking down into the water instead. She rose slowly to her full height, revealing he tops of her breasts that wanted to float into my view. My loins grew heated once more. "I know you won't be mad," she laughed softly, pushing her palms to her heated face. "It's just embarrassing that it happened, and even more to say it out loud."

That was it after all. The dream. The palms of my hands met her shoulders, rubbing soothingly against them, waiting for her to say the words.

"Last night I dreamt," she whispered, eyed trying to hold my own and failing. "I dreamt…that we were having sex."

With her words I pulled her in closer to embrace her. The feeling of her bare breasts pushed against my skin was pleasurable, and I hissed when I felt my need press against her stomach. There is no doubt that she felt it.

"I know," I murmured into her hair, "and I have something to confess to you, and I hope you are not angry with me."

Her questioning gaze was terrifying, though since she was honest with me, I had to be honest with her.

"You woke me because of it," I laughed, "I thought you were having a horrible dream. Then you moaned my name and I could not bare wake you. I was under your spell. You called out my name, wanting _release_. I…touched you over your trousers. It was very wrong of me, and inappropriate. I apologize, I will never be able to apologize enough."

A new flush took her skin as her eyes widened at my words. Instead of slapping me as I suspected she would, she just placed her hand over her beating heart and looked into the water.

"I will not allow you to fight me any longer," I murmured capturing her once more, arms holding her waist to me. "Please let me put a courting braid in your hair."

She backed away, shaking her head, "Kili I can't. My father died when I was young. My mother loved him so much she _wasted away_. She isn't my mother anymore, she is a shell, just a body without a soul because of love. I can't let that happen to me."

"You would not like to have a love with me? There is a chance that we will survive this journey."

"Then we can try to be together then."

"And what if one of us perishes?"

"Then I won't be as hurt if it is you."

A scoff left me harshly, "Will not be as _hurt_? I would be more broken hearted if you perished and I never got to love with you. I know you feel for me in your heart somewhere. I see it in your eyes and feel it in your breath when your lips caress mine—when you _breathe my name._ "

To show her my words I yanked her to me and pressed my lips against hers while my fingers worked into her wet locks. As I suspected, she kissed me back in hunger, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. She opened her mouth, snaking her tongue to meet and dance with my own. With a gasp I pulled her face away watching as she attempted to pull closer again.

"Nothing would change," I murmured, "the only thing is that I would wake up knowing that I can freely tell you how I feel, I would not have to dance around my words and watch you from afar.

"I can hold and kiss you whenever I would like, and you could do the same. There is nothing more I want, than having you. If either of us are to perish, let the other know that it was not one sided or in vain."

"What of Thorin? If we get back Erebor, he still won't let me be with you."

"Thorin…is getting used to the idea. He told me that he was wrong about you, you have the spirit of a dwarf."

Pulling away, she furrowed her brows a long while before turning and offering me her hair, "Alright. Afterwards we'll finish our bath and go back to the house."

"Not quite yet," I growled yanking her around so that I could hold her to me, "it is improper for a courting couple to be left without an escort."

With ease I pulled her up and urged her to wrap those thick legs around my waist. The heat of her quim squished against my stomach, her bottom tickling my member from above. Our lips met in a hurried kiss, her hands tangling in my hair as mine traveled to hold onto her arse. Soon my lips left her own to trail down the column of her neck; she still tasted of sweet apples. I wondered if all of her tasted of sweet apple.

My fingers worked the meaty flesh of her arse while I started to walk back to where my things were laid out. As the water started to reveal more of her skin, she shivered. "Where are we going," her voice was breathless against my ear.

"To lay on land so I can properly please you," I growled back nipping at her lobe. A loud moan left her lips, urging me to move faster. Once we were out of the water, I settled her onto my dry cloth and gazed at her naked beauty.

Laurel's skin was not pale but olive, sheen with water than dripped from the spring. Her handful of breasts were dusted with pert peaks, following down a thick with muscle abdomen into thicker thighs. One side had the beautiful tattoo of a buck, while the other harbored a dark red gash.

"What happened here," I asked breathlessly as my hand trailed down the cut.

"Orc," she hissed.

"You practiced with swords all day, moving and irritating it. That was foolish," I muttered. My eyes traveled further.

At the appendix of her thighs was a light coating of russet hair. A deep groan left me as I pressed my lips against her chest, trailing off to the side so that I could lick at her brown nipple. She gasped, hips jutting forward. One of my hands found the other breast while her fingers tugged at my hair.

"Kili," she mewled into the night, "no sex."

I rose so that I could kneel between her legs. The hand that was caressing her breast left to hold her stomach, the other coaxing her leg to fall to the side so that I could touch her quim. Slowly she eased them open, allowing me to see her nether lips glisten in the light of the moon. The twitch of my manhood at the sight had me hiss. As I watched her face, she took a deep breath. One finger touched her bare flesh—she gasped—then I slid my finger up to lightly skim the nub of nerves I knew to be hiding, the action easier due to her great wetness.

A loud moan ripped through her, causing me to use my lips to silence her. Last thing I needed was the company hearing her and coming to investigate—only to find us naked in the throes of passion.

Her tightness hugged around my finger, causing me to gasp at the warm slick heat that I wanted to be emerged in completely. Her walls were clenched and trying to push out the intrusion. "Shh little doe," I murmured kissing her softly, "relax. This is all I am doing tonight. I swear to it."

When her body fell back to the ground, I started to move in and out, with the same ease I would if it were me instead of my finger. It was slow, but the beauty of her face as she found pleasure was something I would never forget. Her juices flowed over my fingers easily, covering them as I added a second finger. Another moan sounded through the night, mixed in with my own groan. Her hips started to trust in time with my movements, her breath coming shorter. With my thumb I touched the bundled gem above her opening again, stroking it in time as I pounded my hand into her.

Finally she clenched all her walls and screamed the loudest, moaning my name.

She rode my fingers until her body slowed, breathing erratically. Her eyes opened dazed and half lidded as she gazed upon me. A quick glance of my hand had me twitching again, she was bare and open before me, my fingers were covered in her essence. When I gazed on her again, I brought my hand to my mouth and slowly sucked on a finger.

It was purely sweet like apples, with a husky feminine taste and smell, one that screamed her name. A pleased grunt left me while she gasped, her hand trailing down between her legs. At the sight I reached down and grasped myself, a hiss leaving me at the feel of her juices on my bare member. The pleasure from touching myself with her warm wet heat was extraordinary.

With my own eyes half lidded I pleasured myself to the image of Laurel naked before me. I watched as she ran her fingers into her own quim, gathering her wetness. Stunningly enough she grasped me with her slick hand and started to stroke. Another moan tumbled from my lips as she pushed me to my back and started to squeeze and pull at my flesh. This felt even better than when I was doing it. The pressure started to build, almost painful because I was so full. My hand sought out her breast, pulling and tweaking her peak as she pleasured me.

"Tighter," I hissed, fisting both hands at my sides.

She followed my instructions, gripping me tighter and moving her hand more furiously.

"Thank you Kili," she whispered, pressing her lips to my hip bone. "that was better than when I do it thinking of you."

At her words I found release, unfortunately it spurted all over her chest. The sight so glorious, causing me to spasm harder and spurt more. She gasped softly as she worked my flesh until my thrusts stopped.

"I am sorry," I muttered, pulling her face down to mine for a kiss, "I did not mean to spend myself all over you."

After another eager kiss she rose, offering me her hand. "It's okay," she whispered when we were both standing, "let's hurry and wash so we can get back to the house."


	15. Mirror Reflections within Sickness

_**Laurel**_

Once we finally got back into the water, Kili couldn't keep his hands off of me. Everything was surreal, like a very lucid dream. Something possessed me to act the last hour. Never in my life had I thought I would be in the woods fooling around with a man; or dwarf in this case. Especially Kili.

It didn't help that when I saw him wet and half naked I immediately clenched my thighs.

Throughout the days I had been here, there were times that I would find myself starring at him. It was just _wrong_ to be that handsome. It should be an act against _God_ to approach me the way he did; dripping wet, light curls on his chest and trailing down to the unknown. Then he hugged me, and I could _feel_ him hot and hard but still soft against my stomach.

Since I didn't have experience dating and I worked and hunted, I read a lot to keep my mind off of my dreams. Through reading I did find what romance should be, how your face should heat and legs tremble at the sight of something truly sexy. I found things I would have never thought possible in the act of sex or fooling around. Not having any friends of my own to gossip with I did a lot of internet reading, and after a few dreams at sixteen of Kili shirtless doing odds and ends; I started touching myself in the mornings.

What transpired just now was _nothing_ like what I normally experienced. I didn't know there was _that_ big finale that made me quiver and scream with ecstasy.

I didn't want to accept a courting braid, I didn't want to define anything between us in fear he did die. The look of hurt that crossed his face had me wanting to do anything to make him feel better.

And to hug me close so I could feel his skin against my own and ignite the fire within me.

Kili and I ended up washing each other, and I had to slap his hands away when the touches turned into burning caresses that wanted to lead to more. When we left the water I tried my hardest not to hide myself when I could feel his leering gaze on my ass. Wrapped in my towel, I sat in the soft grass and waited for Kili to meet me. It was surprising how effortless it was for him to comb his fingers through my hair and twist a braid just under my hairline behind my ear. It was a very intricate braid, but easily hidden beneath all my hair. He used the bead that he had put in it in Rivendell, then placed another braid in the top half of my hair, clasping it with the bead in his own hair.

"There," he murmured pressing a kiss to my shoulder, the act very sincere and loving. "It is there for anyone to see if they shall look. I would have made it bigger, but I did not want uncle to anger. He is coming to terms, so I do not want to push him."

"Do I put one in your hair," I asked, reaching into his dark brown locks and fingering the softness. It was still slick with water.

"No. You just proudly wear that. Do not unbraid it, it would signify that you are revoking the courtship. I should be the only one to remove it, only to re-braid it."

Once we dressed—I had to fight Kili playfully as he tried to undress me—we returned to the house. The company had already eaten, but they saved Kili and I food. We ate together by the rest of the dwarves who were settled into the hay.

"Where were you two off too," Fili asked quirking an eyebrow.

Immediately my face turned red thinking about the sexual acts I had just shared with his brother a while ago. Quickly I buried my face into my chest letting my hair hide me.

Kili cleared his throat, "Taking a walk. Talking."

I chanced a glance at Fili to see he was glaring at his brother with a look of suspicion.

After a while everyone started to settle, resting so that we could rise and leave for Mirkwood in the morning.

We were woke a handful at a time, each gathering our packs and weapons. Outside Beorn had ponies waiting for us. There were not enough for each, so most of us doubled up. One horse waited for Gandalf. Kili and I settled our things onto the pony, jumping onto the animal and preparing for departure.

"If you trot, you should reach Mirkwood by midday," Beorn offered, "at the wood line, please leave my ponies. Follow the elvish path and it should be mostly safe. Beware the elves of the wood, they do not act the same as their foreign kin of Rivendell."

True to Beorn's word, we reached the darker forest by midday. It didn't take long for us to get off our ponies and gear up. Gandalf did not get off his horse at all.

"I have very pressing matters to attend to," he grunted, "I will meet you at the Lonely Mountain. Do not stray from the elvish path. There is a sickness in these woods and you will never leave, seeing things that are not true for the rest of your life. Do _not_ enter that mountain without me Thorin Oakenshield and company."

With the warnings he left at a full gallop, leaving me with unease. The wood was sick? Was it something in the air? None the less I followed the rest, hand on my sword, as we entered the dark forest. It was simple enough, a stone path was made of squares showing which way to go. There wasn't any forks or three ways to worry about. Sometimes we had to halt while the path was cleared because it seemed to have ended.

The day wore on, nighttime starting to come to us. Thorin declared we would travel for as long as it took until we got out of the woods. It was dark and eerie in there so I understood his concern. The trees were gnarled in places and the air was thick. It wasn't unbearable but uncomfortable.

Slowly I started to see the sickness Gandalf spoke of. Not in myself, but the dwarves.

Bofur started to spout nonsense about the firelights sparkling before his eyes. Dori, Nori, and Ori were pushing each other back and forth about getting the last dinner roll. Bilbo was looking around as if he were hearing noises, and stopped before Dwalin, poking him in the chest and squinting deeply.

The leader of the group, Balin at the time, just kept dragging his feet and walking, not stopping to see if we were following them. A terrible feeling pitted itself in my stomach, as if we were being watched. Idly I grabbed for my smaller pocket knife and stuck it in between the bare skin of my bottom and underwear. Something was telling me I needed to hide it.

Suddenly Kili rounded on me, ripping my bow off my shoulders and grabbing me by the thighs to push me up against a tree. Fear didn't fill me as it should have, but confusion.

His lips crashed against my own in recklessness. A hiss left me when he accidentally pinched my lip against my teeth with his own. "Kili," I hissed, "what are you doing? Everyone is in front of us! We are trying to get out of here!"

"Mmm what are you talking about little doe," his voice dripped something fierce. "'Tis our wedding night, I am consummating our marriage."

My heart started to thump wildly against my chest. The sickness took him as well. He was hallucinating. I tried my hardest to push against his chest, beating it for a moment to gain his attention. "No it isn't. We are in Mirkwood, it is the sickness," I hissed trying to get him to see reason.

A gasp left me when his lips started to dance against my throat and neck. I came to find out over the last three or four encounters that my neck and throat were my favorite spots. Soft gasps of appreciation turned to deep moans when his teeth sunk into my skin, harsh and passionate. My back scrapped the harsh bark of the wood as he pushed me up so that he could push himself between my legs. Even through his thick trousers I could feel him hot and hard grinding against me. It was a wonderful friction I craved for, but seeing everyone standing around us had me cringing.

Even if they weren't paying attention, I didn't want to have moments like this in front of them.

"Stop," I beat against his back, "seriously Kili we can't do this right now!"

A growl rumbled against my collarbone where he bit me harshly again, this time pain finding me instead of pleasure. My breast was grasped harshly, another hand ripping at my shirt since I was pinned to the tree. Once my shirt was in pieces below me I started to thrash and beat on him more. Deep down I feared that he wouldn't stop. Not that I didn't want to experience wonderful sensations with him, but my first time would not be in front of the company, and him not in his right mind.

Everything happened at once.

Someone hit Kili in the back of the head, he grunted, dropping me. All around us elves were disarming and pushing other members of the company into small groups and aiming weapons at them. The elf that hit Kili in the back of the head was taller than him by a margin, white blonde hair braided down the side of his head above his pointed ears. Armed with a bow and a sword at his side, he pointed the end of his bow at Kili's throat.

"I do believe she said stop," he hissed at Kili. I was stunned, watching from the ground in just my bra and pants. Hesitantly I grabbed for my dagger, prepared to do something. Another elf smacked my hand with the end of her bow, causing me to drop my weapon.

A quick intake of breath met both of us when our eyes met. If anything I thought I could be looking at my sister, if I had one. Our hair was very similar in color, eyes the same shade of green. Her skin was paler than mine, but our faces sort of resembled. At that moment the elf that disarmed Kili gazed at me as well, his eyes widening. The female elf that smacked me looked at Kili, eyes widening as well, "Kili?"

She _knew_ Kili? Immediately I felt the green eyed monster called jealousy rear its ugly head. Kili was attracted to elves; of course she knew Kili. My mood turned sour instead of scared at the prospect of being captured.

Slowly the gang of elves were searching all the dwarves for weapons. I could see the clarity in their eyes as they realized what was happening, that they were breaking the hold on the sickness that the forest had in the air. "Laurel," Kili's voice broke the air, his head snapping around frantically looking for me. I was already tied up and sitting on the ground.

"Calm down," I muttered, "I'm over here. No harm."

One elf was searching Fili for weapons, and I had to fight my smile as he pulled out sword after sword from a smirking dwarf. By my count twelve were already discovered. It was like a game to him. The elf that hit Kili was tying him up as well, grunting and muttering things about 'filthy dwarves'. Once everyone was tied up, we were being marched through the woods. After a while, familiarity took over.

It looked just the same as it did the first time I met Kili and was able to talk to him. I tried to focus on the problem at hand, though my mind kept traveling to all the things I had seen and heard in the past few hours. One is that Kili thought we were married and was trying to force himself onto me. Two was that the female elf knew him in evidently a personal way. Three was that I knew the brothers had daggers that weren't accounted for in their trousers. Finally I noticed that Bilbo was missing. My gut told me he wasn't gone, but merely using that odd ring to follow in the shadows.

We were led to a fortress, a very beautiful one. The walk was long but we found ourselves in cells and locked up, one or two of us each to a cell. The elf that got Kili off of me regarded me with a look of unease as he tossed a blanket at me before locking me in. Did he feel sorry for me? It was cold in their dungeons, so I wrapped myself up and shivered, thankful for the extra warmth.

Kili was thrown in the cell across from me by the female. I watched intently as he glared at her through the open door she had yet to close. "Nice to see you again Kili," she almost purred, "I better check for weapons."

A sneer found his face as he backed away, "I was already searched by Legolas. Shut the door, leave me be Tauriel."

More soft words were exchanged from Tauriel before she threw me a look over her shoulder, a questioning look. Once all the elves disappeared I slumped against the wall behind me in the small cell.

"She looks an awful lot like me," I muttered loud enough for Kili to hear. "And she is awful friendly with you."

"Nothing happened between us," he responded disdainfully.

Overtime I started to tune out the mutterings from the rest of the company. Kili fell silent after I didn't respond to his questions about my lack of shirt. Eventually my eyes closed and sleep found me.

The clang of metal woke me, my cell door opening. Legolas, as Kili called him, was offering me his hand. Was that sorrow in his eyes? Without taking it I rose, following him as he led me out of the cell and down the various walking paths. Tauriel was leading Thorin ahead of us. Eventually we reached a formal looking area that was surrounded in elves in armor. At the back of the suspended room was a beautiful throne of white wood and antlers. Seated in it another elf of intricate robes, sitting on white blonde hair like Legolas' was a reddish leaf crown, and he looked pissed off.

"Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand. A quest to reclaim a homeland and slay a dragon. I myself suspect a more prosaic motive; attempted burglary, or something of that ilk. There are starlight gems inside that mountain I would like to reclaim myself," the king's commanding voice echoed across the hall. His eyes flittered to me, causing me to shiver and pulling the blanket around myself more. With a point of his chin, the blanket was ripped from me.

He rose, taking purposeful steps to walk around me and assess, "Now you have a…halfing elf in your presence? Tell me girl, what is your heritage?"

It took me a moment to clear my throat, it was so dry. "My name is Laurel Took," I coughed softly, "Evidently I am equally hobbit and elvish, and human."

"How did you come to the company of dwarves?"

Before I answered I glanced at Thorin, watching as his eyes turned to slits. "We found her at Rivendell," he muttered. I tried to school my surprise at his lie. "Elrond said that they found her without knowledge of where she was. My nephew took a liking to her so we took her with as a personal… chattel. It's very lonely on long travels."

Did Thorin just refer to me as a sex slave?

All the while I kept my mouth shut, trying not to act as surprised as I felt. What was he trying accomplish? Thorin looked dark and smug, while this king looked disgusted and even more pissed off.

"Is this true young one," he took a softer tone, "did they force you to commit acts that you did not want to?" With his words his fingers grazed my neck and shoulder. The touch stung if only for a second.

Kili _mauled_ me.

"The dark haired archer was molesting her when we found them," Legolas offered.

The king glared at Thorin once more, pacing around the room. Finally he settled back into his throne. "Tauriel, take her and clean her up. Feed her and clothe her. Do not worry child, we will care for you from now forward," the king flicked his hand to the side.

I was whisked away promptly. Everything moved so fast as I was pushed into a hot tub of water and scrubbed by other female elves. Confusion coated each of them as they found my pocket knife when it tumbled out of my underwear. I was thankful they gave it back to me. They pushed me into a silver tight dress and attempted to unbraid my hair. I fought hard to keep it the way it was. When they turned I shoved the knife between my breasts. From there I was dragged to something that appeared to be a kitchen. Internally I groaned at the fruits and vegetables that were placed in front of me once more. There was no way in hell I was staying here as an _elf_ and not eating meat. It was time to bust out of this bitch.

Once I finished off with bread Legolas appeared in the kitchen I was in. "Lady Laurel," he bowed softly, "allow me to escort you to your chambers."

I quirked an eyebrow, "I am not tired. I just woke a while ago when you fetched me from the _cell_ I was in. What happened to my things?"

"You won't be needing them. We will care for you as my father said before," he replied.

Father? So I was talking to another prince. Overall he was a handsome elf, but he was no Kili—who seemed to ooze sexiness with even the smallest of smirks.

"Well I may not need all my things, but I need some things from my pack. Personal things," I offered, trying to smile and look appealing to get what I want. He looked at me with a small smile and offered his arm.

"Of course," he stated as he led me away. "They are in the wine cellar. We can go there now."

"Oh I've never had elvish wine before," I replied pretending to be excited. "I was only in Rivendell for a few days when the dwarves took me with them."

Throughout all the mazes I begun to get confused and lost. Hopefully Bilbo was sneaking around somewhere so that our soon to be escape would be more easily done. The way that Legolas peered at me from the corner of his eyes seemed to be that of interest. Interest for what I do not know, but I didn't care for the look either way. "You share a striking resemblance to Tauriel," he mentioned as we started to descend some stairs.

"I've noticed," I muttered. Surprisingly we found ourselves in the dungeons where all the dwarves were sitting and sulking. My eyes looked to find Kili resting against the wall tired and droopy eyed. "Actually, do you mind if I speak with the…filthy dwarves," I forced myself to sound disgusted.

Legolas' eyes narrowed as he took a step toward another set of stairs leading to the cellar. "Why do you want to talk to your captors," he reasoned.

"Well the king acted as if he wanted something from Thorin," I replied evasively, "I suspect I can use their liking to me as an advantage to help him get what he wants. For all the kindness he is bestowing on me of course."

It was convincing to even myself, how my speech changed, coy and innocent at the same time. Without another word Legolas nodded and left, stomping down the stairs two at a time. In a hurry I ran to Thorin's cell first, slapping my hands against the bars to startle him to attention.

"What is your plan," I whispered hurriedly before Legolas returned.

"Find the keys to the cellar and release us, we will figure out the rest as we go," he muttered looking around too. "Where is Bilbo?"

"Lurking around somewhere I suppose, he is probably trying to formulate a plan himself," I muttered. "Ideas on where the guards with the keys went?"

"The wine cellar," Kili's voice called out behind me. Slowly I left Thorin, to walk hurriedly to Kili's cell and lean into it to see him more properly. His fingers wrapped around mine through the cold metal as his eyes raked my body. "I very much like that dress."

A small smile tugged at my lips, "Thank you. It is too tight."

"Little doe," he whispered, face pressing against the bars, "I am truly sorry for what I did before we came to be here."

"Its alright," I squeezed his hand, "it was the sickness of the woods. I understand. Just focus on trying to get out of here for now." I pressed my lips against his fingers, feeling the coldness in his flesh seep into my soft skin.

We had to get out of here.


	16. Lucid Trickery

_Laurel_

The bottom of the stairs led to the cellar very quickly, where I found Legolas talking with two other elves. Those must be the guards, who were not too far away from the cells. With Legolas there watching my movements there wasn't much I could do except to hope that Bilbo was watching from afar. In one of the corners I could see numerous packs and weapons, mine all sitting atop.

"Here are your things," he motioned. Quickly I searched my pack, trying to see what was salvageable. Inside most of my watered bulbs were broken. The only two still intact was the Kings-Foil and California Poppies. The poppies were already used one night, but I kept the water for whatever reason. Now more than ever I thank myself. If I was sly enough I could pour the poppy water into the wine the guards were drinking and knock them out. Maybe get Legolas to drink some if I had enough.

As I turned I noticed two glasses in Legolas' hand. Excellent. I palmed the light yellow poppy water and smiled softly.

He eyed my hands and motioned to what I was holding, "What is that?"

"Oh this is something from home. It is a special wine sweetener," the lie slid easily off my tongue. "By itself it tastes bitter, but mix it and any wine will taste outstanding."

Stomping down the stairs led Tauriel to our mists. "Legolas, your father wishes to see us about the spiders that keep invading our lands," she addressed him formally.

"Save me some of the wine sweetener," he replied softly. One of the glasses he was holding was pushed into my hands, each of his fingers caressing my own as he gave it to me. "I will be back shortly to show you around, we can celebrate your freedom."

Blushing I accepted the glass, it seemed he was very forward.

The guards watched as he left, turning to me and almost waiting for something. I held up the bulb and shook it, "Would you two like to try some as well?"

Eager nods and grins met my offer. It surprised me how confident my hand poured infused water in each wine glass. I watched as they each grasped a glass and raised their hands in an effort of 'cheers'. Silently, I waited as they sipped.

One mentioned how it didn't taste all that different, if anything it tasted watered down and like grass. The other shrugged and downed the glass he was given and poured another. Eventually the first finished his glass as well as I sipped on my own, poppy water excluded. Almost as if a switch was flipped, they dropped to the table unconscious.

"Thought they'd never fall asleep."

A scream started in my throat at the sound of Bilbo, and the sight of him appearing just feet to my left as he removed the ring. "Shit," I muttered holding my beating heart, "don't do that! Could have at least given me a warning or something."

Quickly I grabbed the keys from the hook on the wall, tossing them to Bilbo. "Go get the others. I will look for a way out."

"No! I found a way, just stay here," Bilbo urged before scampering away.

While he was gone I started to gear up with my weapons. It was difficult to try and get my sword and scabbard on, seeing as I had no trousers with loops to slip it into. Instead I slipped it into my quiver, trying not to ruin my remaining arrows. With my bow across my shoulders I waited, trying to sort the weapons as best I could. There was a small barrel dedicated to Fili's knives alone.

Feet started to descend the stairs once more, and just to be cautious I drew my dagger. When Thorin's face came into view, I released a breath and lowered the blade. The others trailed in behind him, muttering about 'going deeper into the fortress instead of out'. I directed everyone to their things, watching and waiting for further instruction. Bilbo hushed all the voices as we followed him to the back part of the cellar. Barrels were stacked in a particular way; all empty.

"Into the barrels," he ushered.

"This was your plan," I hissed shrilly, "they are going to find us in here hiding!"

"Just get in!"

I wasn't the only one upset at the idea. Each of us were inside a barrel, and my bow was close to sticking out the end of my own. After a while Bofur stuck his head out below me and hissed, "Well what do we do now?"

Bilbo walked across the room and pointed to a leaver, and then pulled it. Instantly the world turned as I rolled over and over again, screaming the whole way. Water splashed everywhere drenching me after a short drop. Gasping for air I looked around, seeing that we were in a cave stream, leading into the woods and sunlight. Brilliant.

We all held, counting heads to make sure no one was missing. The ceiling above us opened again, Bilbo falling through. He came up gasping, trying to grasp onto something to hold onto. I used all my strength to pull him into my barrel with me. We were both small enough we fit just fine.

"Well done Master Baggins and Lady Laurel," Thorin chortled excitedly. With a few pushes we were into the current again.

Behind me Kili laughed as if he was having the time of his life. We all were bouncing around on rocks and being pushed towards the entrance of the cave, finally hitting the sunlight. When I turned to see him, my heart caught in my throat at the sight. Just one barrel behind me he was soaking in his clothes. Dark brown hair was somewhat wet and matted to his face. The smile that adorned it was full of excitement, eyes alight with mirth. He was actually having _fun_. Not that I didn't blame him, it was like lazy river tubing, with the river being a little more urgent and forceful.

Just as we were getting closer to the outer wall built around their fortress a horn sounded. Shit. They knew we had escaped. Elvin guards started to come out of the woodwork, weapons pointed at as. One in particular ran to the top of the wall, pulling a leaver that closed the gates to our waterway exit.

"Damn it," I muttered, building up behind Fili and Dwalin, the only barrel behind me being Kili. I was pushed up against the edge, watching as a smirking guard approached me.

Suddenly an arrow went through his chest and he choked, falling to the ground. On the horizon behind him stood a large disgusting looking orc.

"Orcs!" Kili's voice tore through the air.

We watched as the guard that pulled the lever was also shot through the chest with an arrow. Suddenly a battle took out between orcs and elves alike, all the while we were sitting like ducks. With every muscle I possessed I jumped, pushing myself out of the barrel and onto the land. Kili called out to me, but I kept pushing. I ran to the top of the wall and pulled the lever, watching as the rest of the company started to fall through the opening and into the more rushing river.

Just as I was about to turn around and jump back into my barrel I heard a grunt.

At my feet was Kili, eyes closed in pain.

Everything seemed to slow to a halt, my heart stopping where breath was knocked out of me. Sticking out of his thigh was an arrow. My heart clenched tightly in my chest, seizing and thrashing with worry and ache at the thought of it being his heart rather than his thigh. "I'm sorry," I muttered as I pulled the arrow out—wincing at the hiss Kili emitted—and strung it to my bow and shot it at the direction it came from. The orc was hit in the chest, he shuddered as he took a step back. It wasn't a lethal shot unfortunately.

Another orc laughed evilly as he approached us. Kili tried to stand, falling to his knee when he couldn't hold his weight due to the pain. The orc raised its sword to Kili, ready to behead him. "Fuck no you don't," I hissed, digging into my boobs and grabbed my knife, flicking it open with a swift wrist movement. I gave my own battle cry as I lunged, knife plunging down into the eye of the beast. The next few moments seemed to go on forever. The monster thrashed, screaming in pain as it tried to push me off of it. I did my best to stay on, grunting here and there at the hits that landed on my face and sides. Slowly it went limp beneath me. It's body falling to the ground, me riding atop of it.

Not wasting time I turned and grabbed Kili, dragging him to the ledge of the wall and lining him up with his idle barrel as I urged him to jump.

In moments I jumped into the water, seeing as Bilbo took my barrel and went with the rest of the company.

Everything seemed to blur and blend together after that. I swam with my life depended on it, keeping my head above the raging water and holding onto Kili's barrel for dear life. He fell unconscious at one point, eyes closed as his face screwed up in pain. I knew he wasn't dead, there was no way he would die from a hit to the thigh, especially since his artery wasn't nicked. The rest of the company was killing orcs and fending off elves. I was amazed watching them work so easily from barrels, taking out enemies with ease.

We finally escaped their reach, carried ahead swifter with the water. As we neared a large lake the current died. Each of us were pushing our way to shore with our hands. Kili awoke, trying to pull me with him in the barrel.

"I think we outran them," Bofur mumbled.

Thorin shook his head as he crawled to land, "Not quite. They will be following surely. Hurry now, on your feet."

The rocks started to scratch at my skin, completely soaked as I crawled on my hands and knees to land. My stomach heaved, expelling half of the lake that I had swallowed trying to stay alive. I flung off my bow, laying on my back and starring up at the sky. Kili collapsed next to me, also heaving for breath. He was hurt. Scrambling up to my knees, I looked at his thigh. The arrow pierced the fabric of his pants easily enough, but the gaping bloody black hole that met my vision brought tears to my eyes. I tore a piece of the dress off, quickly tying it around his thigh so that it would at least slow the bleeding. He rose to his elbows, watching me. Once I was finished I threw myself into his chest and cried.

"Don't you _ever_ take a shot for me. I will strangle you myself," I heaved as my fingers worked into his hair. "I thought you were killed."

Our lips met softly as I kissed him. Everything that I could muster was thrown into the kiss, all the energy I had left. He was _right_. I don't think I could continue on without him, but I was glad to know that we were in it together, rather me fighting him all the way. Everything made sense of what he was saying. It felt empowering and brilliant to accept him, not deny everything every step of the way. A weight was lifted off my shoulders. I was so dizzy and lucid at once I felt as though I was floating.

It didn't come to a shock when I finally admitted to myself that I _love_ him. I tried so hard for a long time to try to tell myself I didn't. All that time was wasted and useless.

The familiar sound of an arrow notching from behind Kili had my back go ridged. With what strength I had left I flung myself over him and placed his chest to my back as I came face to face with the metal tip of arrow. At the bow was a man.

Many things happened at once. Nearly everyone in the company grabbed something to raise to our aid. The man was quick to shoot the things out of their hands. Then coming back to rest his aim on me again. "Put down your weapons," he hissed, "or I shoot her and him."

Balin hesitantly approached the man, hands up in surrender. "Excuse me," he sounded polite, like I didn't have an arrow pointed at my heart, "but, are you from Laketown by chance? That barge just over there, can it be available for hire?"

"I am Bard from Laketown, and perhaps the barge is for hire."

At his words the arrow was lowered. Everything in me relaxed as I slumped against Kili. His arm were wrapped tightly around me, flipping us so that if the man rose his bow again he would be hit before me.

Sadly to say my consciousness flickered in and out as the rest of them spoke about bargaining. Only did I wake fully and pay attention when I was hoisted up.

"Do not worry little sister," Fili murmured softly in my ear, "Kili gave me permission to carry you. I do not want to strain him with his injury."

We were settled into a smaller boat, every one of us cold and shivering. Bilbo handed me my mostly dry pack, sitting next to me where I was curled into Kili's lap. "Thank you Bilbo," I smiled. Silence fell between those of us that were not talking to the man, Bard, or Balin. Most of them were bickering rather than talking.

Slowly the mountain in question we were in search for came into view. Each of the dwarves looked as if God himself were standing before them. The brothers next to and beneath me were sharing small smiles. "This is it brother," Kili murmured, holding me closer, "our home. We are close to taking what is ours."

"Hurry, give me the money. There are guards ahead, get into the barrels," Bard urged.

We were quick to do as he said, myself crouching into the barrel with Bilbo. After much fighting with Kili about it. ("Kili we both won't fit in there. Bilbo and I are small enough to fit in one! Quit acting like a jealous baby!")

A gasp left me when cold wet fish were poured over our heads. My teeth chattered as much as I would allow.

Now I wished I had shared the barrel with Kili, if only to snuggle him for warmth.


	17. Across the Chasm, Beasts Lie

**Author Note::**

 **I would like to take a moment to thank those who favorite and follow this story. I know I am not the most amazing writer out there, but everyone has to start somewhere right? So seeing these notifications telling me I have new followers and favorites adds a little pep in my step!**

 **I would also like to take a moment and remind everyone something very important.**

 **This, is a FANFICTION. I hope everyone knows what that means, but I will leave a little reminder. A fanfiction is just that, a fictional story written by fans. Therefore since it is fiction, I have the right to write this story however I like. There were no promises that this story was going to follow everything in Middle Earth the way Tolkien planned. I write this story how I dreamed of it, so if it is a little off from the normal customs and ideals of Tolkien, then it will be. Because it is a FANfiction.**

 **I bring this up because there was a review explaining disappointment in this story. The disappointment stemmed from the fact that my writings on dwarvish traditions / customs was wrong and didn't make sense. Yes, each reader can review on stories as they like, that is their right. Again, I wrote this story how I like. If readers do not like it, then don't read it. I'm not making you read this.**

 **I apologize for the rant, but I just wanted to put this out there. If you don't like a story, don't leave a negative review that explains your distaste for the story in general. Leave inspirational reviews or ones with helpful criticism that can improve the story.**

 _Kili_

Most of the conversation that was transpiring around us blurred with my breathing. That and most of it was muffled due to the large amount of fish that was pilled around me. A deep shiver started from my bones and out to the outer layer of my skin. Another deep stabbing pain radiated from my thigh were the orcs arrow pierced it just mere hours ago.

How terribly foolish it was of Laurel to jump into the fray of battle to pull the leaver. Everyone in the company was grateful for her action. We were sitting in plain sight and vulnerable. Though I wished someone else had done the act, I should have done it. There was no question in my mind when I jumped to her aid. I did not know an orc was aiming for her, but I almost sung with relief when I felt the arrow's hot iron in my veins.

She was safe. If I had not interfered that arrow would have struck right to her middle.

Suddenly my barrel was knocked to the side. The act sent me sliding across the wooden floor beneath, aided with the slickness of the fish.

Each of us rose from the barge to follow the man. Once Bilbo helped Laurel up I took over and grabbed her hand to pull her with me. Walking without a grimace or a limp was fairly difficult, though I could not let her see how affected I was. I must be strong and reliable. A child taller than the company ran towards us, "Da! Our house, it's being watched!"

Bard instructed us to get into the water. The ice cold took my breath away. Laurel shivered, in turn I tried to pull her closer to give her some of my heat. We swam underneath the walkway under Bard, following him as he went. It was hard to keep your head tilted just right to breathe and to swim with enough speed to keep up with his brisk walk. Somewhere along the line he must have given instructions elsewhere to someone on where to go.

A soft knock could be heard somewhere above. Dwalin grunted and pulled himself up through an opening above us. "If you speak of this to anyone, I'll rip yer arms off," he snarled at someone on the other side. Bilbo followed, struggling as I tried to push him upwards. I sank beneath the water myself, coming up and gasping for air. Laurel followed next while I repeated the action.

"Da…why are there dwarves coming out of our toilet," a small girl called out above me.

A toilet?

Once we were out of the water and led up the stairs into Bard's home, we were offered blankets and clothing to change into. Laurel disappeared with the small girl children into another room to change. Each of us stripped and re-clothed in the man's clothes. They were large and barely fit in the right places.

Eventually Laurel returned to me. I would not settle for her to take place next to me, and she struggled while I placed her in my lap. "Kili," she hissed softly while placing her hands on my chest.

Idly my hand rose to play with the courting braid in her hair, fingers tracing the bead. "What is it little doe," I asked softly.

Slowly her harsh gaze softened. "It is not appropriate for me to sit on you like this. Especially in front of everyone," she whispered while she tried to look and see who was staring.

"We are cold. Only offering comfort to one another," I replied curtly, "it is not as if I am caressing you or placing my lips on your skin."

Thorin's voice cut out through the rest of the company. "A Dwarvish Wind-Lance."

Silence became over the company as he paced back and forth in the home.

"You look as if you've seen a ghost," Bilbo's soft voice came over the rest.

Balin cleared his throat as he looked at the lance as well, "He had. The last time we saw such a weapon, a city was on fire. It was the day that Smaug came. The day that he destroyed Dale, the bowman of the city was called upon to kill the beast.

"The dragon's hide is tough, tougher than that of the strongest armor. Only a black arrow could have pierced that hide. Few of these arrows were ever made."

Thorin snorted rudely. The sound was that of insult. "Had the aim of men been true that day, much would have been different," he scowled. My eyes lingered on my own Halfling archer. Her eyes were busy working over the house, taking in everything. They landed above the hearth of the fire, green pines lighting with discover. All that was there was hanging pots and pans.

The boy spoke up, distracting me, voice strong and assured, "You will know that Girion hit the dragon. He loosened a scale under the left wing of the beast. One more shot and he would have killed it."

This is not something that I would doubt myself. The only person I had met personally that could shoot just as well as me or better _was_ Laurel. Sometimes she did not realize just how true her aim was. Without thinking on it long, she killed two trolls and shot bustards out of the sky. All the while being stealthy and quiet. Granted her excellent archery skills were probably instinct from her Elvish traits, but Smaug is meant to be a large dragon. The lance was powerful enough, so aim just had to be well enough to pierce the beast in it's large chest. A skilled human could do it.

Dwalin genuinely smiled for the first time in a long time. "That is only but a fairy story lad. Nothin' more. The beast is unharmed and sleepin' in that there mountain."

"Where are our weapons we were promised," Thorin asked.

Bard left and shortly returned with wet weapons. If you could even call them that. They were clearly handmade and unsuitable. The things were liable to fall apart and not even pierce skin with the hardest swing. Even the confused look on Laurel's face told tales of her untrustworthiness of these weapons.

With our escape from Mirkwood, Laurel and Bilbo were able to retrieve us the majority of our weapons. Fighting the elves and orcs had us loosing almost half. Thankfully Laurel had her sword, bow, and arrows. Unfortunately my own broke in my barrel while flowing down the river.

"These are a joke," Bofur hollered over the rest of the complaints.

Bard was covered in rage, "You will not find better outside the city armory. All weapons are held under lock and key."

Eventually an argument broke between uncle and the man. Laurel had long left me to trail along the home in her child dress. It was odd, seeing her in something that was not meant for a woman but a small girl. It almost gave her a childlike appearance. If I had not known she was a grown woman (in the eyes of men) then I would have thought she was in her early to late puberty. After everything I had seen and heard from her lips, I knew better. Laurel was clearly full grown and beautiful.

"Thorin," Laurel hissed from the corner of the room, stopping the argument quickly. "I've seen you kill an orc with your bare hands just hours ago. Bard has done what we asked of him, and paid for, and was even kind enough to give us clothes and warmth. It is very rude to continue to attack him."

Surprisingly enough uncle held his tongue and shot a look of distain to _Bard_ and not Laurel. The act itself had my eyebrows high and questioning. Fili seemed just as surprised, if not more. Laurel was by far not a favorite of Thorin's, and neither Fili nor I spoke to him in such a way. Bard grunted and fled from the room, telling his son in hushed whispers that we were not to leave the house. Ideally I would not want to leave at the moment anyway. It was dark and I was tired greatly. The pain in my thigh throbbed harshly, causing me to hiss in the back of my throat. In moments Laurel returned to me, pressing my hair out of my face to hold it softly.

"Would you like something for the pain," she asked.

"'Tis alright," I muttered, "I will survive. You should not talk to uncle like that. Especially in front of the company."

At my words he materialized next to us.

"She was right," he grunted. "He did what was asked, what he was paid for. Tonight we need to sneak into the armory and get those weapons."

Did Thorin just say Laurel was right? With his words my eyes grew and landed on the beauty. Dwalin and Balin called uncle over to discuss the next move of tactic.

Fili slumped next to me, elbows on knees as he peered at Laurel with deep questioning eyes. "What witch craft did you bestow on him," he asked in all seriousness.

"Yes what craft," I muttered along, "and when should I start to question my hearts yearning for you as true or magic?"

Her jaw dropped, hands on hips as her brow furrowed in disbelief. "I am not a witch! I don't know why he is suddenly being _nice_ to me," she whispered the last part.

"They are right," Ori looked perplexed, "it is pretty odd that he suddenly has taken a liking to you. Let alone let you talk to him in such a way. Even if you did save his life."

She huffed and trailed off into the kitchen where the children were standing around cleaning or talking quietly to themselves. I could make out her speaking and introducing herself to them. Every once in a while I could hear her speak up to an unnecessary level, or blocking us from view with her body altogether.

On the other side of the room I could hear Thorin speak loudly of his plans to steal weapons from the city. "Go tell him that he is being too harsh and loud with his theft," I nudged my brother, "the children will hear and tell Bard. He will try and stop us. Laurel is trying to distract them."

I watched as Fili did what I mentioned, and smiled when I saw Thorin's lips twitch at the sight of my love working to help us.

The next hour passed slowly, though over time we were all dry and getting ready to depart. Laurel convinced the boy to lend her a pair of his trousers and shirts. After she changed we rose to leave and carry out our plan.

"Where are you going," the boy stood in the doorway as we tried to exit.

"Please move boy," Balin asked kindly, "we were given what we asked for and paid rightfully for it. We are due to leave and continue on our journey."

The young man shook his head and extended his arms out to either side of the door, "Da said you are not to leave, so you will not leave."

"Bain," Laurel gently grabbed his arms and lowered them, "I'm sorry but we do have to leave. We can't stay. Your father won't blame you for us going, you can't stop us either."

Eventually he nodded and left our exit. The darkness of the night covered our slight forms, but it did not stop the thundering of boots across the wooden planks. No one even knew where to look to begin with. Either way we walked as quietly as we could to find the city armory.

We came upon a large rickety building fort of sorts that was made of wood and bolts. About three dwarves high was a smallish window. Nori heaved Dori on top of his shoulders. "Lass, could ye climb in through the window and let us in through the door," Bofur offered his hand to her. Laurel took it readily and stifled a scream when she was tossed into the air and caught buy Dori. The dwarf heaved her by the feet and pushed her up and to the window. In the dark I could make out her lithe form disappear into the shabby shack.

Moments later the door creaked open softly, revealing my little doe. Half of the company stayed behind to keep a look out while Thorin, Fili, Dwalin, Laurel, and myself started to gather weapons.

Inside there were enough weapons to suffice for a small army of fifty or so. If each member had one sword and smaller weapons apiece. Laurel started to gather all that she could hold, I attempted to take them from her. "Let me carry, I can hold more," I whispered.

"Are you sure? I saw you limping across the walkways," she narrowed her eyes at me.

"Yes," I muttered annoyed. In moments I fought the weapons out of her hands and started to descend the stairs.

Suddenly the searing pain blossomed into something uncontrollable, and I gasped, feeling my leg give out. It happened so quickly but it felt as though ages passed while I fell down the flight of stairs. Each step hit me on the way down, and I could feel swords slicing at my clothes and nicking my skin. What was most worrying was all the noise of my body falling and the metal tinging together made.

Two moments of silence passed. Whistles started to ring through the air, killing any silence we had. Feet hammered down the wooden walkways towards us. Guards were pointing swords and staffs with knifes in our faces. Laurel of course stood in front of me to protect me from the weapons. Silly woman.

One guard grabbed her by the wrist and attempted to yank her away from me. Dwalin, who was closest, jumped and knocked the weapons away from his face to stand in front of her and deter the guard from his actions. "She ain't goin' nowhere, and do not point weapons at a lady you mongrel," he muttered knocking away more spears pointed at us.

Slowly they rounded us up one by one and started to march us to the center of the town, in front of a large brick building. A small greasy man poked his head out, looking alarmed before going back in where he came from. Soon another large bulbous man returned outside with him.

"What is the meaning of this," the larger man stated.

The captain of the guard stood forward, "We caught them stealing weapons from the armory sire."

"Ah, enemies of the state!"

Dwalin tore his way forward to growl at the man, "Hold yer tongue! You do not know to whom ya speak. This is no criminal, this is Thorin! Son of Thrain! Son of Thror!"

Uncle laid a gentle hand on his friend and came into view to speak as well. "We are the dwarves of Erebor. We have come to reclaim our homeland! I remember this town and the great days of old. Fleets of boats carrying fine silks and gems. This was center of all trade in the North, not some peasant forsaken town!

"I would see those days return. We would send wealth and riches from the great flowing halls of Erebor!"

Cheers started to erupt from the people that gathered around us. It seemed that everyone in the town had awoken to see all the commotion. Laurel was holding onto my waist, resting her head on my chest. Without even realizing it I was giving her the heft of my weight. Softly I tried to stand straighter and hold my own.

"Death," Bard's voice echoed around us, "that is what you will bring to us Master Dwarf! Dragon-fire and ruin that will surely come when you awaken the beast. It will destroy us all. You have no right, no right at all to enter that mountain!"

Thorin advanced on the stairs leading up to the building so that he was eye to eye with the tall man Bard.

"I have the only right," he muttered darkly. It was enough to raise the hairs on my neck. "I speak to the Master of the men of the Lake. Will you see us fulfill this prophecy? Will you share in the great wealth of the dwarves of Erebor? What say you?"

The large bulbous man opened his arms wide, chuckling as he spoke, "I say unto you Thorin Oakenshield… welcome! Welcome thrice more, King under the Mountain!"

I felt Laurel hug me a little tighter.


	18. Likness of One is Not the Other

_Kili_

The company and some of the people of the town were led into the large home. The man of the town, the Master they called him, settled us down in the dining room. All of the table and chairs were of course too large for us, but we made do by sitting on books and other items provided for us.

Soon the room was filled with food and ale. Each of the dwarves were indulging themselves in the supplied drinks and morsels. The room was very warm though it did not ease the chill in my bones. "Durin's day is in nine days," Fili murmured quietly from the end of the table we were sitting at. Laurel was once more perched on my lap, toying idly with the courting braid in her hair. The sight brought warmth to my heart.

"I don't fully understand what is going on I suppose," she muttered.

"Uncle was given a key to open a hidden door on the mountain," Fili supplied easily, "during the light of Durin's day is only when the door will be visible. Then, and only then, will we be able to enter the mountain without the beast that lies within knowing."

Her lips pursed together tightly as her eyes still combed the festivities. "What then? Slay a dragon when it sneaks upon us?"

"It slumbers in its horde of gold," I laughed softly.

Pine green eyes widened in astonishment, "Hasn't anyone ever told you lot not to poke the sleeping dragon?"

Together my brother and I smirked, a few chuckles leaving our lips in amusement. Of course we knew not to wake a sleeping beast. Honestly I did not know the true intentions of what was to happen once we got to the mountain. Master Baggins was acquired so that we could have him retrieve the Arkenstone, the Heart of the Mountain. Once Thorin had the stone, I knew not what would actually transpire. How were we to actually kill Smaug once we gained entrance to the mountain?

Soon Laurel rose to get food, leaving Fili and I alone.

"You have gone about this all differently than you should have," he spoke as soon as she was gone. It was one of a few moments that were actually alone. Usually Laurel was with us.

"Things are different in her world. Suitors usually make the first advance. Some women ask their suitors to court, but those are far and few between. Laurel is not the type for it though, she prefers for the suitors to do the asking and courting," I sighed, watching as she worked her way across the room to talk to each of the company members. Dwarrowdams were meant to initiate courting. Not the dwarves.

"She accepted the braid, but does she accept the courting _completely_? I know you mentioned you were having difficulty with her," he asked.

It was true, even if she accepted the braid I did feel as if she was still holding back. There were times where I could see the spark in her eye, the same spark that burned deep in my stomach when I looked at her. Other times she looked upon me with sorrow and guilt. The messages I saw were hot and cold and passionate and disdained. It did not make much sense at all.

The pain in my thigh flared fiercely for a moment, bringing a gasp softly to my lips as I clutched at it. "I am not sure. She seems to have not changed much at all on the subject, I still see the battle in her when she looks at me," I tore out. "Why is it not easy?"

Fili laughed full-heartedly, "Because you love her! All the other maidens were meaningless. If they did not fall for your charm, you moved onto the next one. Laurel is fighting you and you will not move on because you love her brother! I have not seen you look so struck before!"

Of course I loved her. There was no question on it.

"The jealousy was on her face when we were in Mirkwood," Fili murmured as he tried to remain silent.

"I would not doubt it," I muttered, "Tauriel has not given up on trying to obtain me as one of her playthings."

"Laurel was more concerned with her likeness of face."

"There is a reason for that," I groaned remembering the day I came across Tauriel in the pub.

It was about three years ago when I woke in the morning with a need that could not be met. Laurel haunted my dreams once more, though this time she was covered but in thin fabric that left nothing to the imagination on to what was under it. She was sprawled out across the sand on a cloth in the broad sunlight. Eventually she traveled into the water to swim idly. The water cascaded down her form and caressed her curves beautifully.

It was a very good image, but waking with it in my mind had me frustrated. It was only then that I discovered my attraction of her, but I felt ashamed and unfulfilled at the same time. That day I hunted until sundown only to come across nothing. To end the miserable night I ended up in the Gilded Ghoul with a tankard of ale to keep me company.

Tauriel entered the building with an air about her. Instantly I saw the beauty of the elf. At first the resemblance did not meet me. Instead I was struck by her perfectly sculpted face and the breath of her bosom. I was amazed how she sought me out to drink and talk with me. Soon our words became bold and I invited her back to my home for a more private conversation. We both had drank too much, and evidently were too loud trying to sneak into my room.

The elf maiden was taken with me and kissing me with earnest. Together we were tangled in my sheets, her body completely nude under me, my own still trying to catch up.

" _Oh Kili," she whimpered when my lips attached to her breast._

" _Mmmm, yes Laurel," I replied._

The elf didn't hear the difference in name, since it was so similar, but immediately I knew my mistake. When my eyes opened I realized everything that had transpired. She looked like a spitting image of my Laurel, almost. There were differences, but I had picked her just for her similarities to my human girl I had fallen for. That is when my door burst open to reveal Thorin.

"That elven maiden I brought home when Thorin burst in was Tauriel, I self-consciously chose her because of her similarity to Laurel," I muttered. "She is upset thinking I chose _her_ because _she_ looked like _Tauriel_."

Once more I amused my brother more than I should have. He clapped me on the back. The heat finally started to become too much for me to take, so I rose to retreat outside for the freshness of air.

The limp I walked with gave me away to my green eyed beauty, for she followed me the moment the night air brushed my skin. "Are you alright," she asked, hand touching the width of my back.

We walked a distance as the snow fell softly around us.

"I will survive," I breathed deeply through the pain. Once we came to the dock I settled down onto the wooden surface to gaze over the lake. Just on the other side was the mountain we dreamed about for years. The cold night air cooled my skin slightly.

"We are almost there," I grabbed her hand and held it tight as my thigh throbbed, "almost home."

I could hear the hesitation in her voice as she paused before speaking, "Kili, Thorin may like me more now than before, but I was not given permission to _live_ in the Lonely Mountain. I was only told I could come and go as I please."

"That is nonsense," I pulled her closer, "you have nowhere else to go."

"I will go stay with Bilbo as I was told," she murmured, "I already talked it over with him just moments ago."

Rage suddenly filled me to the brim. Why was it battle after battle with this woman? Did she not truly care for me as much as I cared for her? My hand snatched away from her own. "What of us? The Shire is almost one full moon's journey. It would be nearly impossible for us to be together," I muttered.

I jumped up and hissed as pain ripped through my thigh, feet thundering as I stomped down the dock. "Kili! Come back," she called after me.

"Why? I have fought hard for you to remain by my side, and you are going to deny me even still? How is that just to me? How is that what I deserve for everything that I have done," I roared. Soon we were toe to toe, her face gazing up at me with more than guilt. Her trembling hands rose to grasp at my face.

Suddenly I was weak and could no longer hold myself up. The ache and pain in my leg became so unbearable I crumpled to the ground I walked upon.

"Kili!"

Soft delicate fingers traced my face and nose, holding me close to her. "You're sick." My eyes closed heavily. When they opened again her face and that of Fili's were staring down at me.

With tugging and pulling I was dragged by my older brother. The heat was burning me alive, the lushness of my skin was hot to touch. The weakness that held me was terrifying. Was this what it felt like to die? Never before have I felt such a dread in my core, one that had breath hard to find.

Laurel was banging on a door. When Bard's face appeared as seen us, he snarled in our faces.

"No! I am done with dwarves!"

Just as the door was attempted to be shut, Laurel put her boot between the frame and the door, slamming her palm against the wood, "Good thing I'm not a dwarf Mister Bard!"

They stared at one another for a long moment before she whispered just loud enough to hear, "He is sick, and we need help. We have no one else we can get that from but you."

Slowly the door opened as we crossed the threshold.


	19. Admitting the Heart Knows Where Home Is

_Laurel_

Bard led us through the house and into a small room. Singrid was the one to clear the bed and start to close all the blinds. At this point soft moans started to flee from Kili's throat. "Shhh," I murmured pushing his hair back to press my hand to his burning forehead, "it will be alright soon. I promise."

There were dark bags under his eyes in high contrast against his pale sheen skin. It was a terror to look at. His hair was already half soaked in the sweat. Fili was pressing his hands over various areas on his brother's body. "I need my bag," I shouted out to no one in particular. "There are herbs in there that could help."

Bard fled the room and slammed back in through it with a box full of different vials and sacks. "I have Elderberry and Burdock," he started to hand me the items. Bain stood in the corner watching fearfully as his father continued to sort through the box. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Kili twitching and grunting more loudly.

"Bain," I called softly. The teenager took a few steps towards me. "I need you to go to the Master's house and get _Thorin Oakenshield_. He is the Master Dwarf with blue eyes and loose black hair. Tell him that Kili is sick. Tell the hobbit Bilbo Baggins that I need my bag. Hurry, please!"

Immediately the boy turned and fled. If nothing was damaged in my bag I should still have a bulb of Kings Foil. "Bard, I need a pot ready. Do _not_ put water in it, I have soaked water to use, I can't dilute it," I placed a hand on the man's arm. He stood tall once more and left the room. The two girls were huddled in the corner digging through laundry.

A pained scream echoed through the room as Kili trashed harshly. Fili clamped both of his hands over his brother's shoulders as he continued to convulse. I pulled my fingers through his hair as I brought our foreheads together, "Shh, fight through the pain. I'm here with you, I'm not going anywhere."

It only seemed to calm him a fraction, but not enough to stop his erratic movements.

Soon the heavy thudding of running feet bellowed all around us and shook the house. The first face to enter the doorway was Thorin. Electric blue eyes blazed as they narrowed in on his nephew. Kili choked, his body bending and twisting more viciously. In two steps Thorin was beside Fili putting his hands on Kili to keep him from moving too much. Bilbo pushed his way through all the dwarves to get to me, bag in hand. I took my eyes off my dwarven prince to receive the sack and tear through it. Wrapped tightly and still intact was the bulb of Kings Foil. I carefully handed it to my distant uncle or cousin, "Bilbo I need you to open this and pour _all_ of it into the pot that Bard has prepared. Once it is bubbling bring me the entire pot."

Moments passed until the room was crowded with more than it could handle.

"Everyone who is not immediate family go wait in the other room," Balin thundered. His deep commanding voice sent shivers down my spine.

Did that include me? I hesitated before moving, slowly making my way to the door. Snarling and the sound of a scuffle bounced around the room. "No Laurel, you stay," Thorin boomed.

My body moved at the command so that I was before Kili again. Balin was holding both of Kili's feet, Fili was holding Kili's right arm, while Thorin was holding his left arm right next to me. I got to work by taking my knife and starting to cut out his pants where the wound was. Breath left me, leaving me gasping at the sight of the black purple bruising covered in thick black blood. It smelled of decay and death, like a deer that was out in the woods for weeks. Each of the veins around the wound were thick and black. It was the poison working its way through his body.

His skin was scorching now, so much that I could barely touch him without hissing myself.

"Are you having the hobbit boil _weeds,_ " Bard burst through the room confused.

My brows scrunched as I shook my head, "Its Kings Foil."

"We feed it to the pigs!"

"Tell one of the dwarves I need more," I shouted.

Even with his family watching I placed my knife at his chest and tore through the material of his shirt.

It revealed more horrors of black veins. How long was he letting this work up before he said something? Even if he didn't know the arrow was poisoned he didn't have to pretend it was nothing! Self-consciously I sent him a glare. Even then his eyes were wild and wide, teeth grit while he starred on at me.

A roar of a howl screamed through his lips as he writhed against the hands holding him down. As softly as I could I placed my ear against his burning chest and felt the erratic beat of his heart. If it was pumping so quickly in that way he was working the poison closer and closer to his heart without even knowing it. Again I looked to his face, only to feel my own heart beat erratically.

This is what death looked like.

With my chest in my stomach and no air to fill my lungs, I trembled for a moment. Kili was _dying_. The burn in my eyes started, I couldn't live in this world without him.

Bilbo burst through the door with a steaming pot. Once he sat it down on the table next to the bed I screamed as my hand met searing water. It didn't stop me as I scooped up the soggy weed and removed it. Without waiting or warning I shoved it into his wound.

He screamed inhumanly and vaulted off the bed. A few more dwarves popped their heads into the room and then entered to aid us in keeping Kili still. "Someone get me a mug and a rag," I screamed.

My chest actually hurt with how hard my heart was pounding, my hand throbbed with pain from the scalding water I put it into. Though without trying I was able to tune it out and become numb. Still my eyes were trained on his deep brown ones filled with pain.

Everything blurred until the only sharp image to focus on was him. Finally his eyes closed tight. I tore mine away, feeling the wetness of tears flowing down my face. It was as if my body was humming, I suddenly had adrenaline that I never felt before. I felt as if I could move mountains, but it was no use to me if I lost the love of my life. His body slowly started to stop moving, I could feel him growing weak. My fingers pressed the Kings Foil into his wound a little deeper as I hissed, my lips trembling as my heart broke. "Esta sinome," my voice quivered. "Amin mela lle. Amind mela lle.

"Mela en' coiamin. Poika tuulo' 'kshapsae. Tula sinome. Tula sinome, Mela en'coimin, Amind mela lle!"

Something snapped. Everything became cold at once, goosebumps erupted all over my skin, even the skin not exposed to the air. All the adrenaline I had evaporated causing me to fall to my knees equally as weak. Just as I fell, hands still buried in Kili's flesh, he gasped, torso flinging forward as he came to sit. In moments he fell back into the bed eyes closed and even breathing.

My hands slipped to the bed as I tried to pull myself up. The strong arm of Thorin wrapped under my own as he pulled me up and held me. I put my ear to Kili's chest to listen to his heart beat slow and even. Trembling fingers wiped at the black mess on his thigh, pulling the Kings Foil away.

Underneath was a soft pink scar, surrounded by flush peach skin. There was no trace of bruising or poison filled veins.

Laughter bubbled up inside my chest as I was able to breathe deeply for a moment. The weight that settled on my chest was lifted and I gasped, tears flowing freely over my cheeks as I touched his cheek covered in stubble. His eyes opened, blurry and unfocused. The beautiful brown orbs settled on my face, his mouth moving softly, "No… you cannot be her. She is far away, she is far, far away from me. She watches and dreams of flying in starlight. She is of another world. No… you cannot be her... It was just another dream."

His large palm grasped my face, his hand sliding into my hair to grasp and tug gently on the courting braid he had put in there just mere nights ago. I was memorized as his lips moved again, the sound of his voice like a melody, "Do you think she could have ever loved me?"

The crooked smile I saw on rare occasions took his lips for a few moments before he rolled his face away and promptly slept.

Soon Fili brought a chair into the room, helping me into it because my legs shook too much to do it myself. Eventually Balin and Oin left the room, leaving me with the King and Princes. None of us said anything for a while, we just stared at Kili as he slept peacefully. Bard brought me another pot of water and a rag in which I used to clean Kili's thigh and leg from the poison and blood. At one point I had Fili hold his brother while I coaxed his sleeping form to swallow the warm Kings Foil water from before. Bofur had returned a while ago with more Kings Foil, that I instructed someone to make tea with. If I could get Kili to drink that for at least a day then it will cleanse his blood of the poison.

"Thank you."

I was startled out of cleaning Kili of sweat on his chest. Never have I heard Thorin sound so soft and genuine. In seconds the King was kneeling before me. Taking each hand in my own and meeting my eyes, "I am forever indebted to you. I owe you my life, and the deepest of all apologies.

"From the moment my eyes landed on you, I judged and treated you unjustly. That was my folly. Time after time you have proven me wrong in all my assumptions. Not only did you save my life and the lives of all in the company on more than one occasion, but you saved Kili's."

Tears started to collect in the brilliant blue orbs while the hairs of his mustache bristled.

"Lady Laurel Took," he continued, pressing his lips to each of the back of my hands, "You are brave, courageous, loyal, a huntress, and most of all loving. In honor of your acts, I name thee, Lady Laurel Took, kin of Durin's sons."

Kin of Durin's sons? Kin meant family but who was Durin and his sons? The confusion was evident, because he rose and placed a hand on my shoulder chuckling. Slowly I leaned sideways in my chair to look at Fili to see if I could get an answer.

The blonde prince light blue eyes were wide, his eyebrows almost into his hair. Even his bottom jaw was hanging softly. "Erm, that sounds pretty nice an all, but what does that mean," I whispered, looking between the two.

At once Fili jumped up, wrapping me up in his arms while he laughed, tossing me and catching me again.

"It is the highest honor a dwarf could receive," he shouted. "Even a higher honor since you are not a dwarf!"

I tried my best to untangle myself from him, but he refused to release his grasp on me. Fili's form crushed me to himself, a warm tight hug. "Laurel, uncle is decreeing that you are a part of the royal family," he whispered, "you are not just a dear friend, you are _family_."

Once his arms fell away, Thorin opened his own and stepped towards me, eloping me in one of the most heartwarming hugs I had yet to receive in my life. As he pulled away he pressed his lips to my forehead, cupping my cheek all the while smiling, "Yes, you are family. I bless the courtship between Kili, son of Vili, and yourself. Once betrothed I will perform the wedding ceremony myself."

After all this time I fought Kili. I finally accepted that I loved him, I accepted his courting braid. Still I grew weary all because of Thorin's wrath. Here and now he was telling me he approved. Giggles were leaving my lips softly. Joy like no other filled me to the brim until I could not stand still.

Soon I was holding hands will Fili and dancing around.

"I have a little sister," he bellowed before dancing away and out of the room. Thorin followed, closing the door behind him.

I settled down into the chair next to Kili again, barely containing my smile. Before I had never put thought into marriage with him, but it didn't sound like a horrible idea. From as far as I could remember it had always been Kili who captured my interest, it was Kili who I confessed my dreams and desires for eight years. The love I had for him would bring me to life without a soul if he were to perish. The only thing that waited for me in the future where I came from was my grandmother and mother. All of whom I never had time to see or speak to.

No I belonged here now, with Kili in Middle Earth.

The youngest girl of Bard entered the room hesitantly, offering me the tea I had requested they made. I accepted it and place it next to me, "Thank you. Do you happen to have hair ties? Maybe three or four of them?"

She returned in moments with a handful. I thanked her again and sighed, tracing Kili's side with my hand. Just an hour or so ago I almost lost him. Now I was ecstatic with Thorin's blessing. With shaky fingers I tied the top of the braid that Kili put in my hair. He said I couldn't undo the braid, but he never said I couldn't cut it.

It took about an hour, and surprisingly no one entered the room—which was a good thing because I feared the wrath I would receive for what I was doing. With painstaking precision and patience I tied off the braid in my hair, cut it half way down, and wove it into Kili's hair behind his ear.

Just while I was re-clasping the bead with his hair in it, he groaned and started to stir. Once more my hands smoothed the hair from his face. "How do you feel," I asked.

"Weak and tired," he muttered. Without even opening his eyes, his fingers wove into my hair again stroking my scalp. His fingers searched for my braid, but stopped short when it wasn't found. That's when he snapped his eyes open.

"Did you take out your braid," he whispered.

"I cut it out."

Anger filled his eyes for a moment, "Could not bear to be bound to me?"

My hands found his, guiding it to his own hair where I had just finished his own braid.

"Just the opposite actually," I whispered. "I almost lost you Kili. It is a miracle you're alive."

His large calloused hand lifted up the elegant braid. It was a sight to see, his dark brown hair blending in almost seamlessly into my vibrant red locks. Different emotions filtered across his face. First he was angered, then bewildered, and finally he was beaming up at me with love.

"Kili I love you," I whispered leaning in close and grasping his hand, "I have always loved you. At first I loved the idea of you, because I didn't believe you to be real. Once I got here I knew that it was _real_. You were real, my love for you was real—"

Chapped lips were bruising against my own. I had no idea how he moved so quickly. One moment he was laying on the bed, watching and listening, and the next he pulled me into his lap and was kissing me with earnest. On their own accord my hands traveled his bare chest, sliding into his hair while he kissed me with devotion.

Once he pulled away for breath, he touched our foreheads together to look me deeply in the eyes.

"I have waited so long to hear you say that," he murmured, brushing his nose against mine to lean in and kiss me again.

It was natural how his hands fit perfectly on my hips, pulling me closer and holding me there. His lips trailed to my neck, causing me to feel light and fluttery. "Uncle has to let you stay in Erebor with us," he whispered, "I will make him see reason."

"It was already decided earlier she was to stay in the mountain," Thorin's laughing voice came from behind me. Not wanting to be caught in a compromising position with his nephew, I jumped slightly and off the bed. Kili still kept his hand in mine.

"It was? When," he asked confused.

Fili popped his head in the room, entering when he realized that his brother was awake. He bounded over and crushed Kili in a tight warm hug. "You are finally awake!"

"The arrow that hit you was poisoned," Fili continued muttering, "you collapsed in the snow. I heard you and Laurel fighting, once I got there she was trying to get you up. Bard's son went to get the company from the Master's house. Laurel used Kings Foil to heal your wound."

At his words I grasped the tea and urged Kili to drink it. He made a face of disgust but drank it none the less. Balin had popped into the room next, looking equally as pleased to see Kili awake.

"Yes, if it was not for the lass and her Elvish healing magic we would have lost you lad," Balin sighed.

Elvish healing magic? What magic? Kili looked at me with astonishment, but I shrugged my shoulders, "I didn't use magic, I just did what I learned from the herb book I was given in Rivendell."

Thorin shook his head solemnly, "You did as Balin said. We all witnessed it. You spoke Elvish as well."

"No. I was just saying anything I could think of to get Kili to not _die_. I told him to rest, and to come back to me. That I loved him and to heal."

The others looked at me with odd eyes, those of disbelief. "They speak the truth," Fili urged, "you were speaking Elvish. Perhaps your instincts came to surface when faced with fear."

"You even collapsed afterwards and turned a little blue. Cold to touch," Thorin supplied.

Either way I took Kili's hand and held it tightly. All that mattered was that he was alive with me, no matter how. He pressed his lips to the back of my hand and squeezed back.

"Afterwards Uncle apologized to Laurel, and bestowed kinship," Fili urged excitedly. Kili appeared more surprised than his brother when he heard the words left Thorin's lips.

Soon all the company came in to see Kili and wish him well. I stayed firmly at his side, not wanting to leave him quite yet. Bilbo even hugged Kili and wished him well. His eyes narrowed in confusing as he pointed to Kili's shoulder.

"Is that Laurel's hair," he asked.

Thorin pushed his way forward and grabbed the braid, inspecting and muttering to himself in another language.

"Welcome to the family little sister," Fili hollered.


	20. Accepting Warmth

_Laurel_

Over the days that passed Kili regained his strength. Bard was not inclined to let us all stay in his house, but he politely kicked us out once Kili was well. The company stayed in the Master's dining room, finding spots here and there to settle into and sleep. It wasn't often that I got to sleep beside Kili so comfortably. At Bard's house we were not allowed to sleep in Singrid's room together, because 'courting couples are not allowed without an escort'. Though at the Master's house, we were able to sleep side by side curled up in one another.

Thorin grew antsy as time wore on because Durin's day was drawing closer. Finally the morning came that we were to set off to the mountain. We were all marching around the town getting bows and cheers from the villagers. Once we were about to pass Bard's house, I broke away and marched up his steps.

"What is it you want Halfing," he muttered wiping at his face.

"The black arrow hanging your pots and pans," I whispered.

At my words his eyes grew. "I know it is there, I saw it when Bain was talking about the day Smaug came," I sighed, "I may not have a wind lance but I still need that arrow."

Without a word he backed into his house while I followed. He tore the arrow down, sending all the metal kitchen materials down to the ground with clatter and bangs. "What do you intend to do with it," he growled shoving it in my hands.

The arrow was long and heavy, but somehow I was still taller. It was warm even in my hands. There was no way it would work with my bow, or any bow I could find in that mountain. What was I to do? It was heavy but maybe I could throw it like a spear?

"I'm not sure," I muttered hefting the ammo on my shoulders to drape my arms across it. "There is a possibility I would just stab him with it."

The wild furious look he gave me was fearful. "Did anyone ever teach you not to poke a sleeping dragon? When that beast wakes he will lay waste to this village and all the people in it."

Instinctively I wanted to smirk at the familiar words I uttered myself just a few nights ago. Though I held my posture, trying to appear confident.

"Do you have a better idea? They are going in that mountain one way or another," I growled back, "It needs to be killed, not scared away."

With swiftness I didn't know I could manage, I fled the house, running to catch up with the company that were entering the boats. Surprisingly no one noticed I had ever disappeared. Kili just looked back at me with a smile that quickly fell as he looked in wonder at the arrow I newly acquired.

"Where did you get that," he asked, "when?"

I removed it from my shoulders and maneuvered my way onto the boat. I took my place in the back and sat the warm iron across my lap. "I just returned from Bard's. If we are going in that mountain, we need to kill that dragon," I whispered. In moments everyone in the company was on the boat, peering at the arrow as well.

"You were just at Bard's? I never saw you leave," he grabbed the arrow and looked it over as well. "You cannot shoot this from a bow. Nor do we have a wind lance at the mountain. What will you do with it?"

With a shake of my head I shrugged, not knowing what I would do with it. We would figure out something soon enough.

The boat ride over the lake wore on for hours. Each of the dwarves would trade turns in using the oars. It seemed to drag on forever. When the dwarves traded, Kili insisted that Bilbo work with him, leaving Fili sitting with me in the back.

"I wonder why he wanted Bilbo and not his brother," I muttered.

"My guess is he is asking for your hand," Fili chuckled out while patting me on the back.

My brows furrowed together in confusion. What did he mean by 'my hand'? "You know," he whispered softly, "your hand in marriage. He is your kin after all. It would be dishonorable to whisk you away without the blessing of your family."

The two in question were murmuring softly to one another. Occasionally Bilbo would look back at me with a kind smile. It set a tingle of warm through my chest. It instantly reminded me of my grandmother. The last time I saw her was when I was eighteen, because I moved states away and into the country where I wouldn't be found. I still talked to her from time to time, asking about my mom—at least I used to. Right then more than ever I wanted one of her hugs.

The thought caused me to take a stuttering breath. One that did not go unnoticed by Fili. Even if he didn't stay anything I could still feel the burn of his stare on my skin. It prickled instantly and the shiver tore through. Softly snow fell around us, and it only looked as if there was already a lump sum built up on the shore just about a mile or two away. We were close.

Still my eyes stayed trained on Bilbo. If he was truly the only relative I had now, I haven't made much effort to get to know him. It was still comforting to know there was someone there.

Once the bottom of the boat hit shore, Dwalin and Nori got out and started to pull the boat the rest of the way. By the position of the sun it was about midday noon, if not about one or two after. I was surprised to see the dwarves load the boat with their supplies and tie ropes to it. Half the company started to pull it behind us. Wouldn't it be easier to carry our things rather than lug the huge boat?

We started our long march up the side of the mountain. Kili's hand was attached to my lower back, almost as if he were trying to aid me in our journey. Instinctively I wanted to banish it and let him know I could climb by myself, but I held my tongue. Instead I busied myself talking to Bilbo, determined to make a family bond with him.

"Tell me of your home, where do you live," I huffed, already numb to the cold that surrounded us.

How was he not complaining with bare feet in the snow?

"I live at Bag End in the Shire. The Shire is near Bree, very green. I think that's my favorite part, how beautiful it is outside. I often find myself on my bench just outside my hobbit hole and take in the scenery as I smoke my bag weed," he sighed very reminiscent of his home.

He continued to speak, "My hole was higher up than most. So I can see most of the Shire. There are a lot of different flowers and trees all around. Inside I have a nice hearth and cozy chair that I sit in and drink tea and eat dinner. My vegetable garden is marvelous, though I do think it is probably overgrown and animals have been feeding from it since I am not home to tend to it."

"I will have to come visit sometime then," I smiled, "it does sound very homey."

Within the moment we came to a stop. The dwarves emptied out the boat of their things and started to _cut_ into it. The idea of ruining the boat had me wide eyed and astounded. "What on earth are you doing," I asked Dwalin as he rose his axe again to swing down.

"We are goin' ta use half of this for fire wood Lass," he muttered, "the other half will be used for shelter until our next fire."

Bombur started to empty his pack of all the food we had acquired for the trip. It was mostly divided while the rest sat in a pot to stew over the fire that roared to life under Dori's nimble fingers. Kili and his brother were talking quietly off to the side while I pulled out my extra clothing. Somehow I had managed to keep all my things that the elves in Rivendell gave me. Currently I was wearing the shirt, pants, and cloak they gave me, but it did not help with the chill that fought into my skin.

Bard had given me some of his pants and one of his coats thankfully. I pulled all the extra clothing on top of my own and shivered still, it would take a while for me to warm. Still I scooted closer to the fire to gather the warmth provided by it. Once the food was done Kili returned and gave me my portion, sitting shoulder to shoulder as we ate.

Conveniently the wind died long ago, and we were able to keep the chill factor down a fraction, but as the sun started the set the temperature started to drop and I shivered more. It was surprising how fast the sun fell through the sky and the moon hung high. Even the various blues, purples and twinkling stars lit the sky. With such light in the dark I was able to see all around us.

I had no idea if we were climbing to the tip top of the mountain, but we were at least half way up. We would reach our destination surely by the end of the day tomorrow.

Kili had unrolled our pallet, tidying the blanket just right before flopping down with a content sigh. The chilled ground met my back while I laid down next to him. The chattering of my teeth could not be held back. The feeling of thick fingers tugging at my clothes startled me. "What are you doing," I muttered, looking around to find all the of the dwarves, save Bofur, settling into their own bed rolls.

"You will heat faster without this layer. Come now, lay with me and I will keep you warm," his voice dropped deeper. At his words I started to shrug off the coat and extra pants when Fili and Thorin approached us with their things. Not that I was expecting to be intimate with Kili anyway, but it was a downer that prying eyes were going to be next to us all night.

Screw Thorin's rules of propriety! I'm freezing my tits off. Little room was left between us as I snuggled up to Kili as close as I could be.

Something brushed against my bottom, causing me to jump into his embrace more. When I looked over my shoulder I was shocked to see Fili facing me and throwing his arms around me and his brother.

"What the hell are you doing," I muttered.

"Oh little sister, it is cold out. We need to preserve heat," he smiled. "See Uncle is sleeping with us too."

Indeed. Thorin was saddled up next to his nephew with his arms thrown over him, hands resting on my arms that were tucked between Kili and I. It was sort of odd, being sandwiched in-between three grown men. I did not mind being close to Kili, but it was odd that he was not jealous of his brother pushed right up against my back.

Even with my face tucked in Kili's neck I could see the night sky. The beauty of it had me in awe as I felt sleep take me into unconsciousness.

 _Snow covered the ground completely, but I didn't feel the cold. Instead I felt the gripping fear as I watched orcs come from all directions. Each one was more frightening than the last. None the less I was firing arrow after arrow at each of their heads. More dwarves than I had ever laid eyes on were fighting with all the orcs. Occasionally I saw a familiar face, but I didn't stop completely. Instead I was running with endless stamina towards a cliff._

 _On top I could make out figures fighting._

 _Finally when my feet hit the top of the cliff, a cry tore my throat as I watched Fili get thrown from the top of a stone-like building. In seconds I was to him, pressing my hands over his chest and trying to take his pulse. Instead his dull blue lifeless eyes starred back at me. Sobs overcame me while I hugged his form to me. Why Fili?_

 _Finally, I rose, wiping the tears from my face as I looked back to the top of the building to see Kili swinging his sword against his opponent. It was a familiar orc, the one that I shot an arrow at back in Mirkwood._

 _My feet carried me as quickly as I could to scale the building. It took moments for me to get up there, but I was behind the orc facing Kili._

 _In seconds his eyes landed on me, widening as he took a step towards me. His mouth moved to speak, but froze on his lips._

 _Sticking out of his sternum was a sword, one that the orc was holding._

 _A scream erupted fiercely through me as I charged the orc sword raised. I met no resistance as I swung it across his throat. The gruesome creature's head rolled off onto the snow, coating it with ruby red blood._

 _The redness and pain in my face was enough to cry more on top of watching Kili stabbed before my eyes. His eyes moved towards me, hand shaking as he grabbed my own._

" _What are you d-doing out h-here," he coughed, blood spurting across his lips._

 _He is dying, because I_ distracted _him. Broken sobs left me as I hugged his body to my own. "I came to help y-you," I cried, pressing my lips to his own. When I pulled away the blood was smeared across his skin, and I could taste sharp iron on my tongue._

" _At least I get to see your beauty," he coughed again, "one last time, my love."_

 _His eyes fluttered close, and the heaving of his chest stopped in a slow second._

" _NO!"_

 _Razorblades sliced my throat as I screamed and beat the ground around me. How could this happen? Why? It wasn't fair! He didn't deserve this!_

 _Movement caught my eye ahead. Swords clashing and grunts were seen as Thorin battled the pale orc. In seconds the King's sword was thrown from his hands, and the pale white orc laughed as he raised his own for the final blow._

"Thorin!"

My voice was ragged as I heaved for breath palmed my chest. There was snow around us, yes, but I was on a bed roll. In front of me was none other than Thorin himself, as he looked lost and sad.

"They're dead," I sobbed, jumping up to grab him. "Both of them are dead!"

His large warm hands rubbed up and down my back trying to soothe. How could he be so calm? Both of this nephews were dead! The ache in my heart was almost too much to bare, too much for me to grasp a breath.

"Shhh Laurel," he murmured, "it was but a bad dream. No one has died. Especially not Kili and Fili."

I pulled away to gauge his face, to find the truth in his statement. A small smile tugged on the edge of his lips, hands stroking my hair as he rubbed my back. "All is well child," he murmured before pulling be back into his warm embrace.

It was just a dream. It wasn't the worst I'd had since coming to Middle Earth, but it was the most realistic. Even without his words, his comforting hug could have calmed me alone. It was different than that of my grandfathers. It was tighter. Thorin was holding me tightly and for longer than most hugs I had received. I almost sobbed at the wonder if this is what a hug from my father had felt like.

"Laurel," Kili called softly, "is everything alright?"

Thorin extended his arms so that I could be passed into that of his nephew's. Still my hand clutched the King's coat. "Everything is perfect," I heaved out, "just a bad dream is all."

Surely my heart would give out in seconds if I saw one more damned orc.


	21. Beneath the Mountain Lies the Beast

_Kili_

Laurel marched next to me as we scaled the mountain. The temperature dropped, and I could tell she was fighting the shiver that settled on her skin. It was finally Durin's day, and if we were going to the place described by the map, then we would be in the mountain by night fall.

The black iron arrow that was almost bigger than her was resting against her shoulders, arms hanging across it. How was she going to kill Smaug with an arrow she could not shoot? It would not take long to fire a forge and make it smaller, but the noise it would cause would be mindful to wake the sleeping beast. If we can't melt the arrow down to something she could shoot, what was she going to do with it? Without a wind-lace it would surely not pierce through the scales of the monster either.

Still I kept my thoughts to myself, seeing as it was known between each of the dwarves.

In the heart of the mountain laid a dragon so fierce it could incinerate us with just a puff of smoke. Here we were marching to our doom. To my right was such a beautiful woman I wanted to spend the rest of my moments with, and it caused my heart to ache at the thought.

Was I marching her to her death as well? I was not lying when I said at least I would have gotten to have a love with her, but it still burns to know we do not stand a chance at leaving that mountain alive-at least both of us. Deep in my heart I know I dragged her to this fate somehow. It was possibly my doing that got her to come to Middle Earth, leaving her life behind.

As we started to scale the side of the mountain I could see her struggle. The frigid weather was not aiding to her attempt to keep upright, only seeming to make her shiver more. We could not stop, we were so close to the mountain that if we even faltered in step one moment we could possibly miss our timing to get to the door. Fili sensed her need as well. In a matter of moments, he took the black arrow from Laurel, and I had her swept into my arms in the next. In a couple of strides, we were back to the company and keeping pace.

In my arms she shivered more, teeth chattering while she clung to my chest. "Th-thank you," she muttered. "I don't li-like the c-c-cold."

"Once we stop I will warm you," I murmured back.

Hours passed until we finally reached the top. The excitement that filled each of our companions was that to be reckoned with. Each of the dwarves were gathered around looking and tapping on the stone siding of the mountain, when Dwalin declared he had found the door.

"The last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole," uncle declared as we watched the last slivers of sunlight bounced its rays on the stone.

Nothing was happening.

Each of the company grew more anxious and all I could do was stand idle as I held the small body of Laurel closer to me as she shivered. Kicking, yelling, shouting, beating—nothing seemed to make a difference. In horror, I watched as the sun slipped over the horizon and we still remained without access to the mountain. My knees met the cold icy ground, despair flowing through me. A deep ache settled in the pit of my stomach and in my chest. All this way, for _nothing._

Laurel looked up at me confused, her eyes barely opening. "What's going on? Why is everyone leaving," she whispered softly. As I looked around she was indeed right, the brave dwarves I traveled with for over a years' time were simply leaving with heavy hearts. All that remained was Bilbo, whom was reading the map over and over again while pacing the wall.

"The keyhole! Come back! It's the last light of Durin's day! The moonlight is the last light," Bilbo shouted after muttering to himself endlessly. The claim bolted me from my thoughts. "Where's the key," he continued on, running amok back and forth over the terrace.

Uncle was the first to return, key in hand, as he approached the Hobbit and the now visible lining of the hidden door into Erebor.

Thorin and Balin both were visibly shaking. In turn they both took soft steps towards the door. Once Uncle placed the key into its rightful home, it also shook and seemingly crumbled into the mountain.

One by one the company took turns entering the mountain. I myself waited with Fili, Laurel, and Bilbo. My brother took a deep breath before he entered the shadows. Laurel rolled out of my arms onto quivering legs using her hands upon my shoulders to right herself. "Go," she whispered reaching out for Bilbo. "See what your home has to offer."

Quick to intercept, I grabbed her hands and pulled her with me towards the entrance. "Tis not only my home, but yours as well," I spoke, "let us see it together for the first time."

Her hand promptly in my own, I pulled us to the shadows of the door and into the humidity of the mountain. First breath was that of pure love. It smelled of the first rain of summer and the moss was thick under my fingers as they trailed the walls. Still where it did not grow I could feel the carving geometric designs that lay.

Soon we reached the others, where we could see a room covered in cobweb and other odds and ends. Shelves covered in clay pots and lids here and then brooms and rolling pins were on the other side.

Bilbo made his way past me as he came through to look at everything as well. Laurel had her eyes closed on the other hand. Soft delicate fingers were tracing the walls, feet shuffling through the hall, nose fared as she tested the scent on her nose.

"It's colder in here than it was out there," she breathed out with a puff of steam.

"It feels perfect to me," I sighed with a smile, "we will get you warmer clothes for the rest of winter. In the summer the mountain will remain cool."

With ease I wrapped her in my arms, inhaling the honeysuckle scent of her hair, enjoying the warmth she offered. There was a renewed hope. We would defeat this dragon. This will be our home. We will have a future together. The only one who perishes tonight will be the large reptile who sleeps on our gold.

"The time has come," Balin's voice carried over all. Each seemed to hush with his words. "Bilbo, your services are required."

The Hobbit in question shook softly as he came to stand before the oldest dwarf. "Yes, what is it exactly you need of me," he asked.

"To find the Arkenstone."

Thorin visibly straightened up, looking out over the passage way and nodding softly. It was still unknown to me what acquiring the Arkenstone will do for us. If we have the stone, will it have power to drive away the dragon? To what aid will it bring us? Laurel escaped my grasp and snatched the arrow from Fili. In moments she was beside Bilbo. "What of Smaug," she spoke loud enough to echo around us.

"The stone first," Dwalin huffed, "then we will worry about the slithering snake."

Her brows furrowed together in thought while her fingers tightened around the black arrow. What was going through her head? Was it something I could sway her from?

"Bilbo, I'll go with you. I have a plan," she laid her hand on his shoulder.

In a few strides I was up next to her, grasping each of her arms. Once my eyes met her pine greens I was unable to release her. Was this the last time I would look upon her beauty? It was possible she would enter that vault of gold and never to return. The sudden thought had blood pounding down my veins, my pulse thumping all too fast. Breath was leaving just as quickly. "Please, don't go," I murmured softly, pulling her closer to me.

"Kili," she smiled softly, "I have to. There was a reason I was brought here. I think this is it, for me to kill the dragon, as crazy as it sounds. I know I am the size of a Hobbit, and that dragon will be a fraction of the size of this mountain—but I can't let it escape and destroy Laketown. I can't let it destroy any other village for that matter. He has caused everyone so much grief, and if I can put an end to it I will."

A tremble started in my fingertips at her words. This was it, she was planning to kill a dragon, my little huntress.

"I only just got you."

"Have faith that you will have me returned," she smirked, "I have only just got a taste of having a love with you Kili and I like it very much. I intend to come back and experience more."

With the words leaving her I did not hesitate to grab her face and bring it to my own so I could crush our lips together. The only quiver of flesh came from me. Laurel's fingers were deep in my hair as her lips brushed against my own just as passionate. Soon she was completely in my arms chest to chest as my mouth slanted over hers. Far too quick for my liking she pulled away but kept our foreheads pressed together.

"I love you my old dwarf prince," she murmured, "even if you can't keep your hands to yourself."

"You like it," I laughed. "I love you as well my little doe. Come back to me swiftly, do not leave me to worry like a mother."

In moments she was shed of her many layers except for her tunic and trousers, and trailing Bilbo Baggins down into Smaug's Keep. Her russet locks swaying with each of her steps embraced the black iron arrow she had slung across her shoulders.


End file.
